Percutaneous pulsed lavage for the infected knee replacement.

The low incidence of infection in knee arthroplasty is in sharp contrast to the high morbidity associated with its occurrence. This lends urgency to the need for early diagnosis and prompt management when infection does appear. To add to the armamentarium of the existing modalities in dealing with this condition, a new technique is described, which allows lavage at high pressure through a minimal access approach. It has been used successfully in two cases, though the follow-up was less than two years. A long-term follow-up will allow us to judge if this technique, used for the correct indications, can promote the longevity of the prosthesis threatened by infection.