No abstract

The gold standard treatment for periprosthetic joint infections is currently a 2-stage revision procedure with the use of antibiotic beads or cement spacer. We report the case of an elderly lady who had an infected total knee replacement and underwent a prosthesis retaining procedure with the use of antibiotic loaded calcium sulphate beads (stimulan in this case). Postoperatively, she became profoundly hypercalcaemic and lethargic. After other causes were excluded, she was taken for surgical washout of the knee joint. This led to prompt normalisation of serum calcium levels and resolution of her symptoms. We recommend the need for routine pre-and postoperative serial calcium measurements when using antibiotic impregnated calcium sulphate beads and that all doctors have an increased awareness of this risk.