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Bacterial adherence to different components of total hip prosthesis in patients with prosthetic joint infection

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of our study was to evaluate and quantify the bacterial adherence to the different components of total hip prosthesis.

Methods

The bacterial load of 80 retrieved hip components from 24 patients was evaluated by counting of colony-forming units (CFU) dislodged from component surfaces using the sonication culture method.

Results

Micro-organisms were detected in 68 of 80 explanted components. The highest bacterial load was detected on the polyethylene liners, showing a significant difference in distribution of CFU between the liner and metal components (stem and cup). Staphylococcus epidermidis was identified as the pathogen causing the highest CFU count, especially from the polyethylene liner.

Conclusions

Results of our study confirm that sonicate culture of the retrieved liners and heads, which revealed the highest bacterial loads, are reliable and sufficient for pathogen detection in the clinical diagnostic routine.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Sonja Reichmann for the excellent technical work in sonication of explanted components and culture testing.

Conflict of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Richard Lass, Alexander Giurea, Bernd Kubista, Reinhard Windhager & Johannes Holinka

  2. Department of Clinical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Alexander M. Hirschl

  3. Department of Medicine I, Div. Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Wolfgang Graninger

  4. Clinical Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Elisabeth Presterl

Authors
  1. Richard Lass
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  2. Alexander Giurea
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  3. Bernd Kubista
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  4. Alexander M. Hirschl
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  5. Wolfgang Graninger
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  6. Elisabeth Presterl
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  7. Reinhard Windhager
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  8. Johannes Holinka
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Correspondence to Richard Lass.

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Lass, R., Giurea, A., Kubista, B. et al. Bacterial adherence to different components of total hip prosthesis in patients with prosthetic joint infection. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 38, 1597–1602 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-014-2358-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-014-2358-2

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