Antibiotic Spacers for Shoulder Periprosthetic Joint Infection: A Review

Periprosthetic joint infection is a rare but potentially devastating complication of shoulder arthroplasty. The most conservative treatment approach is a two-stage revision involving interval placement of an antibiotic cement spacer. The purpose of this study was to contextualize the use of antibiotic spacers in the current treatment paradigm of shoulder periprosthetic joint infection and to review the history of shoulder spacers, the different types (eg, stemmed versus stemless and prefabricated versus handmade), the antibiotic composition and dosage, and their efficacy and complications.