MICRO Study: Detecting Bacterial Infections Related to Orthopaedic Surgical Implants
MICRO Study: Detecting Bacterial Infections Related to Orthopaedic Surgical Implants
A prospective trial conducted at Shock Trauma of patients between 18 years of age and older
 who have sustained a fracture with metal implanted. The investigators will be collecting
 between 1-3 routine blood draws for the purpose of laboratory analysis to assess biofilm
 growth. Patients may be infected or non-infected at the time of blood draw; they will be
 selected at random for purposes of this study. All patients will be followed as standard of
 care by their treating physician for all their follow up visits.
Surgical site infection in the orthopaedic surgery population is a significant public health
 issue. Wound infections result in both increased length of hospital stay and total cost of
 care.

 Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common preventable adverse outcome after a major
 operation. The economic costs to the US healthcare system are enormous estimated to be in
 excess of $1.8 billion per year. For patients who develop an SSI, the cost may be even higher
 with length of stay and risk of death doubled. Thus the benefits of any intervention
 decreasing the risk of SSI are very tangible.

 A biofilm is a layer of bacteria that adheres to a surface; in Orthopaedics, this often means
 adherence to implanted metal after fracture surgery. The test that has been designed by one
 of the investigators on the study has been shown in an animal model to detect the formation
 of a biofilm up to 1 month prior to clinical detection. Having a blood assay such as this
 would allow earlier antibiotics and potentially prevent the need for further surgeries to
 remove metal implants and clean out the biofilm.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Previous fracture fixation with an implant (intramedullary nail, plate, screws), or
 joint revisions, or periprosthetic fracture, or admitted from orthopaedic trauma
 clinic due to infection, or inpatient with a known infection.

 -  English speaking

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with planned follow-up at another medical center

 -  Patient lives outside of the hospital catchment area