A NOVEL APPROACH USING GENTIAN VIOLET TO TREAT METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS SPECIES INFECTION AFTER JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY

ObjectiveBacterial infection is a serious complication after joint replacement surgery. In particular, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and epidermidis(MRSE) are very difficult to eradicate in infected prosthetic joint. Therefore, the retention rate of initial prosthesis affected with such resistant microorganisms is still low. Gentian violet shows potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive cocci as minimal bactericidal concentration is less than 0.1 %. In the present study, we investigated the efficacy of treatment with gentian violet against MRSA and MRSE infections after THA, TKA, and bipolar hip hemiarthroplasty (BHP).MethodsThere were 8 patients in this study; five patients with deep periprosthetic MRSA infection (2 THA, 2 BHP, 1 revision TKA); 3 patients with MRSE infection (1 revision THA, 1 BHP, 1 TKA). When infection was suspected after the surgery, we quickly obtained synovial fluid and periprosthetic soft tissue from the joint and applied to culture and microscopic ex...