Late hematogenous infection in total joint replacement: studies of gentamicin and bone cement in the rabbit.

Hematogenous infection of total joint replacements was experimentally produced in rabbits with cemented endoprostheses in both knees. One one side the bone cement contained gentamicin. Bacteremia was induced six to eight weeks postoperatively using a strain of Staphylococcus aureus. Twenty-five days after the induction of bacteremia approximately a third of the artificial joints were infected, whereas no bacteria were found in blood and viscera. Although the gentamicin cement still possessed anti-bacterial activity in vitro, it did not prevent hematogenous infection. Thus, gentamicin cement would not protect the joint against delayed hematogenous infection.