METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS-EPIDERMIDIS IN INFECTION OF HIP ARTHROPLASTIES

We investigated the incidence of cephalosporin-resistant bacteria in i nfected hip arthroplasties. Of 740 patients having hip replacement or related procedures performed over three years, 30 had positive bacteri ological cultures from tissue removed at the time of surgery. In 18 of the 30 cultures Staphylococcus epidermidis was grown and 12 of these mere methicillin-resistant. A prospective study of skin swabs taken fr om 100 consecutive patients at the time of admission for THR showed me thicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in 25. This cephalospor in-resistant organism was shown to be the commonest proven cause of in fection, and its presence as a skin commensal raises important questio ns about current antibiotic prophylaxis for joint replacement.