Treatment of infections occurring in total hip surgery.

The chronology of infections after total hip arthroplasty has been categorized and described. Occurring at various time intervals after operation, the three phases of the infected total hip arthroplasty are as follows: (1) the acute complications with either a fulminating infection or a hematoma with potential or actual infection; (2) low-grade, creeping infection that is recognized early and treated with antibiotics alone, treated by débridement, with components left in place, or treated by débridement with removal of the components; (3) reimplantation of components after a previous hip infection. The methods for treating each of these phases are presented together with rationale for such treatment.