Treatment of patients with periprosthetic infection and management of Paprosky type 2C cavitary defects at the stage of articulating spacer installation

Introduction Due to the constant increase in the number of primary and revision hip arthroplasties, the incidence of complications has been also increasing. Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is the most common and dangerous complication in joint arthroplasty, including PJI with cavitary defects of the acetabulum (Paprosky type 2C). The purpose of the work was to demonstrate successful results of managing acetabular defects in patients with periprosthetic infection at the stage of installing an articulating spacer. Materials and methods The patients underwent surgical management of cavitary defects of the acetabulum with allobone plastic material at the stage of installation of an articulating spacer impregnated with antibacterial drugs. A clinical and functional assessment of the effectiveness of treatment of patients with PJI of the hip joint, who underwent bone grafting of acetabular defects at the first stage of two-stage revision arthroplasty, was carried out. Remission of the infectious process was assessed according to the ICM 2013 (International Consensus Meeting), and the function of the affected limb was assessed according to the HHS (Harris Hip Score). Results At a 6-month follow-up after implantation, there were no clinical and laboratory manifestations of PJI and radiological signs of instability of the implant components. Bone grafting was evaluated to be satisfactory; the function of the affected joint restored to 80–90 to HHS points. Remission of the infectious process according to ICM was achieved. Discussion Clinical cases studied demonstrate a positive result of treatin PJI with plastic surgery of cavitary defects of the acetabular bottom at the stage of articulating spacer installation. Filling acetabular defects at the sanitizing stage (implantation of a spacer) subsequently provides improvement of primary fixation and osseointegration of the acetabular component when converting the spacer to a permanent implant. This is due to an increase in the contact area of the acetabular component with bone tissue (native bone and remodeled allobone material). Conclusion The treatment of the first clinical case improved joint function from 24 to 85 HHS points, and in the second from 27 to 76 HHS points. The use of defect filling techniques enabled to stop the infection and improve functional results.