The psychological burden of a two-stage exchange of infected total hip and knee arthroplasties

Abstract

Infection is one of the most challenging complications after total joint arthroplasties affecting up to 30,000 patients in the US per year. This study investigates the psycho-social burden induced by the two-stage intervention in infected hip or knee replacements. All patients were treated with a two-stage exchange and were assessed at three different timepoints regarding their psychological conditions. Our findings suggest that psychological sequelae after treatment of periprosthetic joint infection are clearly underestimated in the literature and psychological correlates and side effects should be further highlighted during the training process of young surgeons.