INTRODUCTION: Limited information is available regarding the treatment strategy and prognosis of non-selected patients treated for chronic periprosthetic hip joint infection. Such information is important as no head-to-head studies on treatment strategies are available. The purpose of this study is to report on the treatment strategy and prognosis of a non-selected, consecutive patient population.

METHODS: We identified 130 patients in the National Patient Registry, consecutively treated for a chronic periprosthetic hip joint infection between 2003-2008 at 11 departments of orthopaedic surgery. We extracted information regarding patient demographics, treatment and outcome. 82 patients were re-implanted in a two-stage revision (national standard), the remaining 48 were not re-implanted in a two-stage revision. We were able to collect up-to-date information on all patients to date of death or medical chart review with a minimum of 5 years follow-up by the nationwide electronic patient record system.

RESULTS: After primary revision surgery, 53 patients (41%) had a spacer in situ, 64 (50%) had a resection arthroplasty and 13 (9%) did not have the infected implant removed. 63% were re-implanted in a two-stage revision. Re-implantation was performed after an interim period of 14 weeks (IQR 10-18). Patients re-implanted were younger (p-value 0.0006), had a lower CCS score (p-value 0.005), a lower ASA score (p-value 0.0001) and a 68% lower mortality risk in the follow-up period (p-value <0.00001). After adjusting for selected confounders, the mortality risk was no longer significantly different. The 5-year re-infection rate after re-implantation was 14.6% (95%CI 8.0-23.1). Re-infections occurred mainly within 3 years of follow-up. The overall 1-year survival rate was 92% (95%CI 86-96) and the overall 5-year survival rate was 68% (95%CI 59-75). The 5-year survival rate after a two-stage revision was 82% (95%CI 71-89) and in those not re-implanted 45% (95%CI 30-58).

CONCLUSION: We found that patients who receive a two-stage revision after a chronic periprosthetic hip joint infection are younger and healthier when compared to those who do not receive a two-stage revision in a non-selected patient population, indicating a clear selection of patients into this treatment strategy. Re-infection rates following two-stage revision were comparable to international results. We found a high mortality rate in our study population, but the causality of death and chronic periprosthetic hip joint infection cannot be established in this study and this needs further attention.