Novel design of articulating spacer for the treatment of periprosthetic knee infection
Chronic periprosthetic infection is a devastating complication following total knee arthroplasty, and two-stage revision is gold standard for treatment due to high infection eradication rates (as high as 80–90%). The first stage includes removal of the prostheses, debridement, and temporary implantation of an antibiotic-loaded cement spacer to treat the infection. The second stage includes removal of the spacer and re-implantation of the prostheses after the infection control. The articulating spacer may provide better range of motion, improved functional outcome, and easier subsequent reimplantation.
However, due to the rough design or unstable mechanical structure of the spacer which was hand-made by surgeons or sold in the market in Europe and the United States, several articulating spacer-related mechanical complications had occurred. These problems might lead to further surgery, poor functional outcomes, prolonged treatment courses during interim stage, and difficulty in reimplantation.
2020-11-12