This study compares to currently used treatments for chronic peri-prosthetic joint infections: Treatment with an all-cement articulating spacer and treatment with a durable, real-component articulating spacer.
An all-cement articulating spacer will be defined as follows: An articulating spacer with a tibial and femoral component made of cement using molds, that are cemented in place; use of high-dose antibiotic cement (at least 2g/batch, including vancomycin and tobramycin); use of dowels at discretion of surgeon; 6 weeks IV antibiotics; intent to reimplant definitive prosthesis if infection eradicated.
A durable, real-component articulating spacer will be defined as follows: Uses metal (or ceramicized metal) on plastic for bearing surface; use of high-dose antibiotic cement (at least 2g/batch, including vancomycin and tobramycin); no cones/sleeves, no pressurized cement in canal; use of stems/dowels/augments and level of constraint at discretion of surgeon; 6 weeks IV antibiotics; intent to leave in situ indefinitely/until clinical failure.
This will be a study with 2 cohorts. We will have a randomized cohort, as well as a nonrandomized prospective observational cohort.
Surgery will be performed by current treatment guidelines in the same manner as if the patient was not in a research study.
All questionnaires will be administered via iPad/online.
The questionnaires administered at the preoperative appointment will consist preoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs). The preoperative PROs will be determined utilizing PROMIS questionnaires including PROMI-10 Survey and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome - Joint Replacement Score (KOOS-JR), In addition, patient demographic characteristics will be collected including age, sex, race, education and insurance status as well as self-reported comorbidity data.
The questionnaires will be administered again at the 6-week and 6-month, 12-month, and 24- month postoperative time points. In addition, the PROMIS depression scale will be collected at 6 weeks.
The presence and absence any complications, along with complication severity as determined by the PI, during the procedure or during recovery will be extracted from the EMR by the PI and/or Co-investigator after surgery and after every postoperative visit through the 24-month visit.