Orthopedic surgery has been driven by technological advances for several years, thereby facilitating joint replacements while helping restore joint function and patient autonomy. New prostheses regularly emerge. They provide solutions to the problems posed by current joint replacements and render new joint replacements foreseeable, as is the case for the ankle and wrist.
However, joint replacement is still associated with a low but definite infection risk. When the postoperative evolution is unfavorable after joint replacement, it proves essential to identify its cause. Infection control usually requires implant removal, with potentially serious consequences for the patient. Achieving a greater diagnostic certainty is therefore of utmost importance. This is the contribution expected from a new diagnostic test on synovial fluid: the determination of alpha-defensin.
Surgical precision appears crucial, particularly when it comes to tumor surgery, where tumor excision with healthy margins largely prevents recurrence. Using intraoperative 3D imaging allows for surgical procedures to be performed with great precision, particularly on soft tissue, where landmarks are more difficult to identify.
Key words
Orthopedic surgery, joint replacement, infection, intraoperative 3D imaging, tumor