Diagnosis and treatment of implant-associated infections

Millions of orthopedic implant procedures are performed worldwide each year. The safety and biocompatibility of these devices are good and only 10% of patients experience complications, of which infections are one of the most serious. Their management usually requires a combined approach of surgical intervention and prolonged courses of intravenous or oral antimicrobial therapy. Despite a significant amount of basic and clinical research, many questions pertaining to the definition, diagnosis, prevention and management of these infections remain unanswered. The aim of this chapter is to provide some basic insight into the clinical diagnosis and management of implant-associated infections.