Culture and Sensitivity Test for Fluid of Hemovac after Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Sharkawy, Mohamed Abd El-moumen; Morsi, Elsayed; Zakarya, Bahaa; Ebied, Ahmed Ali

doi:10.21608/ejhm.2025.418155.1831

Culture and Sensitivity Test for Fluid of Hemovac after Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ university of sadat city

² Orthopedic Surgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University

³ Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt

10.21608/ejhm.2025.418155.1831

Abstract

Background: From the standpoint of the case, periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious side effect of primary total hip and knee replacement. It is also expensive for healthcare systems. Following hip and knee replacements, closed suction drainage (CSD) has become a common surgical procedure. To search for and validate PJI, a number of laboratory criteria have been employed. For many bacterial and fungal infections, the gold standard for diagnosis is still a culture and sensitivity test (C/S). Objectives: to determine the sensitivity and predictive utility of culture testing for Hemovac fluid following hip and knee replacements.
Patients and Methods: Eighty-two cases undergoing primary hip and knee arthroplasty participated in this research. Every case underwent a thorough history, clinical, and laboratory evaluation. Within 48 hours of operation, two samples were taken concurrently from the Hemovac drainage fluid, and they were analyzed using the following methods: glucose level, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cell count (WBC), differential leukocytic count, and culture and sensitivity test. Two samples were taken at 7–10 days and 14–21 days for the culture and sensitivity Test.
Results: The incidence of positive C/S results from Hemovac drain fluid following hip and knee replacements was very low, so routine C/S testing in cases who are asymptomatic has minimal predictive value for postoperative infections.
Conclusion: After hip and knee replacements, this research showed a very low rate of positive culture in Hemovac drain fluid, which has little clinical significance in anticipating early postoperative infection.

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