Replaced shoulder joint is infected and needs to be replaced again

Posted by cindysj @cindysj, May 22 1:15pm

Five years ago, I had my left shoulder replaced. For the past month, I have been experiencing severe pain. After quite a bit of testing, my surgeon tells me that that replacement joint has become infective. He says that there’s a two-stage procedure that he will need to do to take the pain. First, he will take out the replacement joint and put in one with an antibiotic. Then 4 to 6 weeks later, he will replace that temporary joint. Another permanent joint. Has anyone ever heard of this or experienced it?

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sbcarcht | @sbcarcht | Jun 3 7:47am

I had an infected total knee replacement that sounds similar. Original TKR was removed and a temporary joint spacer inserted while undergoing 6 weeks of IV antibiotics then waiting two months to be sure infection was gone before surgery to put in a new permanent joint prosthetic. It was an ordeal, but all has been well for 12 years now.

heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Jun 4 7:41am

I'm sorry your shoulder joint got infected, especially so long after surgery.

Since having my knees replaced, I have to take four Amoxicillin horse-pill antibiotics one hour before dental work. I think this is true for any joint replacement. I don't know if you were doing this, but if not, I'd ask your surgeon about it and get a lifetime prescription. Not sure why it's limited to dental work, but anything to avoid the complications from infection.

And yes, at least for the knee, an antibiotic spacer is put in place, along with IV antibiotics, to get rid of the bacteria and prep for a new joint. All the best to you. Joe