Periprosthetic joint infections - a scoping review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Infectious Diseases
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are serious complications following total joint arthroplasty.
• Current diagnostic and management strategies for PJI face significant challenges.
• Heterogeneous clinical presentations and patient-specific factors complicate PJI assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in periprosthetic joint infections.
• To emphasize the need for improved early detection and standardized treatment protocols for PJI.
• To address the limitations in current PJI research comparability.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on PJI diagnosis and management.
• Analysis of factors contributing to diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.
• Identification of areas lacking international consensus.

Main Results:

• No definition of PJI offers 100% sensitivity or negative predictive value, risking delayed diagnosis.
• Surgical and antibiotic treatment protocols for PJI lack international consensus.
• Study heterogeneity limits the comparability of current PJI research.

Conclusions:

• Early detection of PJI is crucial but hindered by diagnostic limitations.
• Standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment guidelines for PJI are urgently needed.
• Further research with improved comparability is essential for advancing PJI care.