Abstract
Infections with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are an ever growing problem in the community, hospitals, and for orthopedic
surgeons in particular. A conscious effort must be made to deal with this pathogen
prior to total joint arthroplasty procedures. The drastic increase in prevalence of
surgical-site infections (SSIs) after total joint replacement surgery has proved to
be a major health care burden for both patients and surgeons from both a medical and
financial standpoint. The development of screening techniques for detection of MRSA
colonization in patients being admitted to hospitals is steadily increasing popularity.
Particularly nasal swab rapid polymerase chain reaction detection of MRSA allows surgeons
to identify patients at high risk for postoperative SSI. A variety of treatment regimens
for eradication of MRSA colonization from the nares of surgical patients have surfaced,
such as topical mupirocin prior to undergoing surgery. Decolonization of MRSA in patients
undergoing joint arthroplasty procedures has demonstrated encouraging initial results
in preventing SSIs and should be a serious focus of the future for orthopedic surgeons.
Keywords
methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
- joint arthroplasty - orthopedic surgery - surgical site infection
