Clinical Research Directory

Implant-Related Infections in Patients With Skeletal Sarcomas

The aim of this observational study is to gain knowledge on the microbial and immunological factors behind implant-related infections in patients with skeletal sarcoma. The main research question the project aims to answer is: • Are immunological factors more important than microbial factors in peri-prosthetic joint infections in orthopaedic oncology patients? Patients with skeletal sarcoma planned for primary surgery (tumour resection and replacement with a megaprosthesis) will be sampled intraoperatively to obtain a cross-section bone tissue slice at the resection margin, three soft tissue biopsies and joint fluid (if possible). Patients who develop a peri-prosthetic joint infection after their primary surgery will be sampled in a similar manner during revision surgery. An additional group of patients with periprosthetic joint infection of a hip or knee prosthesis due to osteoarthritis will be sampled during their revision surgery (bone biopsies, soft tissue biopsies and joint fluid, if possible). Blood samples will be taken from all patients pre-operatively for extensive biochemical and cellular analyses. Researchers will compare periprosthetic tissues before and after infection. Further, periprosthetic infected tissues in patients treated for skeletal sarcoma will be compared to periprosthetic infected tissues in patientens treated for osteoarthritis. This will be done to attempt to identify host and microbial mechanisms responsible for the increased infection rate in patients with a megaprosthesis due to skeletal sarcoma (infection incidence rate up to 30%) compared to patients with a hip or knee prosthesis due to osteoarthritis (infection incidence rate 1-2%).