Partial two-stage exchange at the site of periprosthetic hip joint infections

In the past 10 years an increasing number of studies about partial two-stage exchange arthroplasty in the management of periprosthetic hip infections have been published. The aim of the present work was to systematically review the current knowledge about this procedure, and critically verify the success as well as the complications of this treatment option.

A literature search was performed through PubMed until June 2018. Search terms were "partial two stage hip" and "partial retention hip", and "retaining well fixed hip".

A total of 7 studies reporting on a total of 80 patients could be identified. All studies had a level of evidence IV. The great majority of the studies reported on the isolated removal of the acetabular cup and placement of an antibiotic-loaded cement spacer head onto the retained, well-fixed stem. Most of the periprosthetic infections were caused by staphylococci. The infection eradication rate varied between 81.3 and 100% at a mean follow-up between 19 and 70 months. Poor outcome was observed at the site of MRSA infections.

The partial two-stage exchange arthroplasty appears to be a possible option in the management of PJI when one prosthetic component is well-fixed so that their removal might result in significant bone loss and compromise of fixation at the time of the later prosthesis reimplantation, and the causative organisms are not multiresistant. The small numbers published about this protocol does not allow for a generalization of application and should be only applied in highly selected patients. Future studies with larger collectives and longer follow-ups are welcome to evaluate the clinical success of this option and its possible role in the management of PJI.