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Updated: Aug 4, 2026
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Novel Diagnostics in Revision Arthroplasty: Implant Sonication and Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction
Published on: December 3, 2017
Air, antibiotics and sepsis in replacement joints
1MRC Common Cold Unit, Harvard Hospital, Salisbury, Wiltshire.
The Journal of Hospital Infection
|May 1, 1988
Summary
Preventing joint sepsis involves reducing bacterial contamination with special clothing and ventilation, alongside perioperative antibiotics. Combining these methods significantly lowers post-operative sepsis rates and hospital costs.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Infection control
- Public health
Background:
- Joint sepsis is a significant risk following orthopedic surgery.
- Bacterial contamination from operating staff and the environment contributes to joint sepsis.
- Treating joint sepsis incurs substantial hospital costs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate methods for reducing bacterial contamination in surgical wounds.
- To assess the effectiveness of perioperative antibiotics in preventing joint sepsis.
- To determine the cost-effectiveness of infection control strategies in orthopedic surgery.
Main Methods:
- Implementing occlusive clothing for operating staff to limit bacterial dispersal.
- Utilizing directional flow ventilating systems to control airflow in operating rooms.
- Administering perioperative antibiotics to inhibit bacterial growth.
Main Results:
- A combination of occlusive clothing, directional ventilation, and perioperative antibiotics reduced the joint sepsis rate to a few per thousand.
- These infection control measures were found to be several times less costly than treating septic joints.
Conclusions:
- A multi-faceted approach to infection control is highly effective in preventing post-operative joint sepsis.
- Implementing these preventative strategies offers significant cost savings compared to treating established infections.
- Optimizing operating room protocols and antibiotic use can drastically improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare expenditures.
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