Antibiotic articular cement spacer for shoulder infection in the elderly / 中华创伤骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effects of antibiotic articular cement spacer on shoulder joint infection in the elderly patients during stage-one operation.Methods:The data of 3 patients were analyzed retrospectively who had been treated at Department of Orthopaedics, The Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University for shoulder infection from May 2018 to December 2019. They were one man and 2 women with an average age of 65.3 years (from 64 to 67 years). One case of infection followed shoulder puncture, another proximal humeral fracture and another shoulder prosthesis replacement. All the 3 patients underwent radical debridement and implantation of antibiotic shoulder cement spacer in stage-one operation but no stage-two operation. The therapeutic effects were evaluated by American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scoring, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick-DASH) scoring, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and range of shoulder motion.Results:The 3 patients were followed up for 18 to 28 months (mean, 22.7 months). There was no recurrence of infection and the spacers were in good position. The microorganisms detected were Bifidobacterium brevis in one case and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 2 cases. At the final follow-up, the ASES scores averaged 54.4 (from 46.3 to 60.0), Quick-DASH scores 45.1 (from 40.8 to 50.0), VAS scores 2.3 (from 2 to 3), ranges of elevation 65.7 °, ranges of abduction 43.8° and ranges of external rotation 21.7°.Conclusion:For the elderly patients with shoulder infection, implantation of antibiotic shoulder cement spacer after radical debridement can well control infection, relieve pain and improve shoulder functions, sparing them secondary operation.