Diagnosis and Management of Periprosthetic Joint Infection After Shoulder Arthroplasty

» The indolent microorganisms responsible for shoulder periprosthetic joint infection make diagnosis difficult because they do not have clear clinical signs or reliable serum laboratory markers. » Administering benzoyl peroxide to the skin of the surgical site and intra-articular injections of antibiotics during a surgical procedure have shown potential for preventing periprosthetic joint infection in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. » Measuring the synovial levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and alpha (α)-defensin have demonstrated promise for predicting periprosthetic joint infection in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty. » Two-stage revision shoulder arthroplasty has been consistently shown in the literature to effectively eradicate infection and have substantial functional improvement, especially in healthy patients. » One-stage revision shoulder arthroplasty has been shown to have eradication rates comparable with those of 2-stage exchange and has the advantages of being more cost-effective and having expedited treatment time.