Prevention and treatment of deep infection following total hip replacement

Three different methods of prophylaxis in total hip replacement are discussed and evaluated: the systemic use of antibiotics, use of gentamicin-containing bone cement and the ultraclean technique. The lowest incidence of deep infection is achieved with a combination of the clean room and antibiotics either in local or systemic form. The results after revision using gentamicin-impregnated bone cement show that a healing rate of 80% is possible; however, there is a high risk of aseptic loosening during the postoperative course.