Orthopedics Today reports on results presented at the 2022 Musculoskeletal Infection Society Annual Meeting (MSIS) showing ultrasound-guided aspiration was more commonly successful and more sensitive in diagnosing periprosthetic joint infections in patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty and included a perspective from HSS hip and knee surgeon Alberto Carli, MD, who was not involved in the study.

According to Dr. Carli, “The study findings confirm the vital importance of finding and sampling synovial fluid to establish or exclude the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection. Ultrasonography provides its operator with the ability to visualize intraarticular effusions, a key advantage over fluoroscopy. However, it is also critical to note that ultrasound is more of a technically demanding procedure which can depend on operator experience, as well as patient factors, including BMI, body habitus and if revision surgery has been previously performed.”

He added, “The study highlights the evident need in the periprosthetic joint infection clinical literature for a standardized method by which aspiration results and the technique utilized to be reported. The study also raises the question of whether an effusion by itself is suggestive of periprosthetic joint infection, a question which will hopefully be addressed through prospective investigations, improvement in imaging techniques and more standardized outcome reporting.”

Read the full article at Healio.com.