Prevention of Surgical Site Infections in Joint Replacement Surgery

Prosthetic joint infections (PJI), although rare, represent a serious complication of total joint arthroplasty as they pose not only a direct financial burden to the patient but also an indirect burden related to psychosocial impact that PJI incur on the patient. Treatment of PJI is complex and requires a combined surgical and medical approach. Patients are often subjected to multiple surgical procedures and prolonged courses of antimicrobial therapy. Therefore, all efforts should be directed toward maximizing the prophylactic measures in the peri-operative and post-operative phases in order to prevent the occurrence of surgical site infections. This article explores primarily the prophylactic measures that target the host and the operative theater environment. Implementation of such preventive measures requires a multi-disciplinary approach and is crucial for a successful outcome of the total joint arthroplasty.