Partial Two-Stage Exchange for Infected Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Treatment to Take into Account

Introduction: Two-stage revision is the gold standard for chronic periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). The removal of well-fixed implants, especially the femoral component, can be extremely difficult and additional osteotomies may be needed, which is time-consuming and results in bone stock loss. When the femoral stem is osseointegrated, there is no clear indication for the use of partial two-stage revision. The primary objective was to assess infection eradication after surgery. Methods: Retrospective study of specific case series. A total of eight patients with a chronic uncemented PJI, in the setting of complex revision surgeries, were treated with partial two-stage revision, which included selective retention of the well-fixed femoral component and complete acetabular removal. Stem retention was carried out regardless of the bacteria or associated comorbidities. Results: All patients were re-revision cases with at least two previous surgeries (range, 2–4). Complex revisions were performed in five cases (non-articulated spacer) and simple revisions in three cases (articulated spacer). The minimum follow-up time was 24 months (range, 24–132 months). The infection eradication rate at final follow-up was 100%. Conclusion: Partial two-stage reconstruction is a promising technique for the treatment of chronic PJI in patients with a well-fixed stem and complex re-revision acetabular procedures. Further prospective studies and prolonged follow-ups are required to confirm our results.