Prosthetic Joint and Orthopedic Device Related Infections. The Role of Biofilm in the Pathogenesis and Treatment

Prosthetic joint infections (PJI) in orthopedic related devices (ORD) are major issues following replacement of joints. It results in serious morbidity and mortality and is expensive to treat and manage. The pathogenesis of these infections is related to the presence of biofilm on the metallic and plastic surfaces of the devices. This biofilm results in poor penetration of antibiotics resulting in persistence and difficulty in eradication of the infection despite appropriate antibiotics. This paper summarizes the present data of biofilm as it relates to PJI/ORD.