Two-stage revision of infected shoulder arthroplasty using prosthesis of antibiotic-loaded acrylic cement: minimum three-year follow-up

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and persistent infection rate of two-stage revision of infected shoulder arthroplasty. We enrolled 12 patients who developed an infection after undergoing shoulder arthroplasty between January 2009 and January 2014. They underwent a two-stage revision with PROSTALAC implantation and shoulder re-implantation in the first- and second-stage surgery, respectively. The mean follow-up period was 40.88 months (range, 36–52 months). After the second-stage re-implantation, clinical scores, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as well as C-reactive protein level were evaluated, and the presence of re-infection and complications were analyzed. Infection was improved in all the cases after PROSTALAC insertion. The mean range of motion of forward elevation, external rotation, and internal rotation at the final follow-up after the second-stage re-implantation were 81.67°, 40.42°, and 16.67° (vertebral level), respectively. The mean visual analog scale score improved from 7.08 points before surgery to 2.33 points after surgery. The Modified American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score improved from 32.25 before surgery to 64.17 after surgery (P