New methods in the diagnosis of Prosthetic Joint Infections

Although prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is not a frequent event after arthroplasty, it represents a significant complication that is associated with high morbidity, need for complex treatment, and substantial healthcare costs. An accurate and rapid diagnosis of PJI is crucial for treatment success. Current diagnostic methods in PJI are insufficient with up to 30% false-negative cultures. Consequently, there is a need for research and development into new methods aimed at improving diagnostic accuracy and speed of detection. In this thesis, (1) the role of vortexing and sonication procedure (and available conventional diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of PJI are reviewed);(2) the role of multiplex PCR in sonication fluid (and new diagnostic methods are reviewed); and (3) the probability of infection depending on the event-free survival time of the prosthesis (and innovative techniques under development are reviewed) are evaluated.