How frequently does infection complicate total hip and total knee replacements?
Early postoperative infection rates are typically <0.5% with use of perioperative antibiotics. Late infections (>1 year postoperatively) occur in 1% to 3% of patients with RA and fewer patients with OA. A patient with a painful prosthesis or loosening and an elevated C-reactive protein should be evaluated for an infected prosthesis regardless of the absence of systemic symptoms such as fever.
