[Treatment of knee joint empyema]

This report deals with 42 patients suffering from purulent infections following aseptic operations, perforating soft tissue injuries or implantation of endoprostheses. By early revision of the joint in combination with gradually increasing physiotherapy (under medical supervision!) in all cases except endoprostheses the infection could be brought under control and a satisfactory functional result achieved. In all cases of infected endoprostheses the prosthesis could not be preserved, the infection of the knee-joint could only be cured by removing the foreign body and arthrodesis.