Partial two-stage exchange: an alternative method for infected total hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: Total two-stage exchange is commonly used in clinical practice as a treatment for infected total hip arthroplasty (THA); however, this approach involves considerable limitations, including significant bone loss and severe trauma. This retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate clinical outcomes following the use of partial two-stage exchange (PTE) for infected THA. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 28 patients with infected THA who were treated by PTE between September 2000 and June 2019. Eligibility for PTE was limited to patients with a well-fixed femoral stem prosthesis. In the first stage of the operation, the femoral stem prosthesis was preserved; subsequently, the acetabular prosthesis, liner, and head were replaced with an antibiotic-loaded spacer. The new prosthesis was then implanted into patients and monitored for at least 3 months to ensure freedom from infection. RESULTS: Patients were followed for an average of 4 years (range, 2–11 years), with an overall success rate of 85.7% (24/28). The mean Harris hip score at the final follow-up was 76.2 ± 11.7 points. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that PTE could be an acceptable option for a subset of patients with infected THA, offering a satisfactory infection control rate and clinical outcomes comparable to those of total two-stage exchange, but with less harm.