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[Bacteriophage Therapy in Orthopaedics and Trauma]

Radek Bartoška1,2, Vladislav Barták3,2, Jiří Gallo4,2

  • 1Ortope dicko-traumatologicka klinika 3. lekarske fakulty Univerzity Karlovy a Fakultni nemocnice Kralovske Vinohrady, Praha.

Acta Chirurgiae Orthopaedicae Et Traumatologiae Cechoslovaca
|July 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Bacteriophage therapy shows promise as an adjunctive treatment for orthopedic infections like fracture-related infection (FRI) and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). While experimental data is encouraging, clinical evidence is limited, positioning it as an individualized option, not standard care.

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Orthopedic infections like fracture-related infection (FRI) and periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) are challenging due to biofilms, multidrug-resistant pathogens, and poor outcomes.
  • Current treatments often involve repeated surgeries and prolonged antibiotic use, highlighting the need for novel strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate bacteriophage therapy as a potential adjunctive treatment for orthopedic and trauma-related infections.
  • To explore the rationale, experimental evidence, and current clinical standing of bacteriophages in managing FRI and PJI.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental studies demonstrating bacteriophage efficacy against bacterial burden and biofilms.
  • Analysis of progress in local delivery systems and diagnostics for personalized phage therapy.
  • Assessment of existing clinical evidence, primarily from case reports and small series.

Main Results:

  • Bacteriophages exhibit high specificity, replicate at infection sites, and show activity against biofilms.
  • Experimental studies indicate reduced bacterial load, biofilm disruption, and enhanced phage-antibiotic combination efficacy.
  • Progress in delivery systems and diagnostics supports personalized phage-based approaches.

Conclusions:

  • Bacteriophage therapy is a promising adjunctive strategy for orthopedic infections, particularly FRI and PJI.
  • Current clinical evidence is limited, with preliminary results from case reports and small series.
  • Bacteriophage therapy is currently an individualized adjunctive option, not yet a standard of care for FRI and PJI.
Keywords:
FRIPJIantimicrobial resistancebacteriophage therapybiofilm-associated infectionimplant-associated infectionlocal treatment.orthopedic surgery

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