Two-stage total hip arthroplasty for primary advanced septic arthritis of the hip in adults: comparison of debridement versus femoral head resection with spacer implantation

Abstract

Background To compare the outcomes of debridement and antibiotic-loaded spacer implantation in primary advanced septic arthritis (SA) of the hip in adults treated with two-stage total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods In the first stage, 9 patients were treated with debridement and 11 patients were treated with antibiotic-loaded spacer implantation. Then, THA was conducted in all patients in the second stage. Patients were evaluated based on the recurrence of infection, Harris hip score, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score and leg-length discrepancy. Results No cases of infection, deep vein thrombosis, death, and loosening of hip prosthesis were observed during follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 29.09 ± 10.80 months in the debridement with THA group, and 28.22 ± 14.80 months in the spacer implantation with THA group. Before the THA surgery, the mean leg-length discrepancy was 2.80 ± 2.03 cm in the debridement with THA group, and 0.50 ± 0.23 cm in the spacer implantation with THA group (P < 0.05). In the latest follow-up, The Harris hip scores of patients was 90.33 ± 4.85 in the debridement with THA group and 94.36 ± 2.34 in the spacer implantation with THA group (P < 0.05), respectively. There was no statistical significant difference in VAS pain score of the hip between the two groups (P > 0.05).Conclusions Two-stage THA using antibiotic-loaded spacer implantation is an effective method for the treatment of advanced SA of the hip in adults due to it can control infection and significantly improve functional hip.