Advances in Orthopaedic Infection and Strategies for Their Treatment

Orthopaedic infections, including periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs), osteomyelitis, and fracture-related infections (FRIs), represent a major challenge in musculoskeletal medicine, often leading to significant morbidity and healthcare burden. Despite advances in surgical techniques, biomaterials, and antimicrobial therapies, infection control remains a formidable obstacle, requiring multidisciplinary approaches and innovative treatment strategies. This presentation will provide an overview of recent advances in the understanding, diagnosis, and management of orthopaedic infections. The role of biofilms in infection persistence and antibiotic resistance will be highlighted, emphasizing the need for novel therapeutic strategies targeting microbial communities. Emerging diagnostic tools, such as next-generation sequencing, metabolomics, and artificial intelligence-driven predictive models, offer new opportunities for early and precise pathogen identification, improving treatment personalization. From a therapeutic perspective, the integration of antimicrobial-loaded biomaterials, local antibiotic delivery systems, and bioengineered scaffolds is reshaping infection management. Advances in host-directed therapies, including immunomodulation and bacteriophage therapy, are also gaining attention as complementary strategies to conventional antimicrobial regimens. Furthermore, surgical innovations such as one-stage revision arthroplasty for PJIs and modern debridement techniques have improved patient outcomes. The presentation will also address the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance and the need for global stewardship programs to optimize antibiotic use. Finally, translational research efforts aimed at developing next-generation implant coatings, tissue engineering approaches, and regenerative medicine solutions for infection prevention will be discussed. By integrating basic science, clinical research, and technological innovations, the future of orthopaedic infection management is moving toward precision medicine approaches that enhance treatment efficacy while minimizing complications. This talk will provide insights into the latest evidence-based strategies and future perspectives in combating orthopaedic infections.