A 69-year-old female patient, who had been operated on 20 years ago (unipolar hip
prosthesis), presented with a complaint of pain in the thigh and a limp with onset
1 year before. An X ray revealed stem subsidence and varus collapse. One-stage revision
hip replacement was performed in view of poor cardiac status, and Brucella melitensis grew in the tissue culture. Oral doxycycline and rifampicin were administered for
six weeks. The patient remained asymptomatic until the last follow up. Prosthetic
joint infection by B. melitensis should be considered in a late onset, insidious presentation in an endemic country.
One exchange arthroplasty with the administration of systemic antibiotics resulted
in a good outcome.
Keywords
arthroplasty, replacement, hip - bone cements -
Brucella
- hip - prosthesis-related infections
