The management of the shoulder prosthesis infection

Infection following total shoulder arthroplasty, although uncommon, can be a devastating complication. The established incidence ranges from 0% to 3.9% [1]. Patients commonly present with pain; many show radiographic evidence of loosening. Unlike management of total knee and hip arthroplasty, management of these infections has limited description in the literature. Treatment options include: suppressive antibiotics, combined joint debridement and antibiotic therapy, resection arthroplasty, primary exchange arthroplasty, and two-stage reimplantation [4].