A novel total knee arthroplasty infection model in rabbits

Infection of biomaterial implants is an expensive and devastating complication of orthopaedic surgery historically ranging from less than 1% in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to 10% in revision TKA. An in vivo animal model was developed to test the efficacy of innovative therapies for the prevention of biomaterial centered infections caused by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteria (MRSA). Twenty‐two New Zealand White rabbits were used in this study. After proper anesthesia, a stainless‐steel screw with a high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) washer was cemented in a defect created in the intra‐articular, nonarticulating portion of the lateral femoral condyle of each knee. After closure of the joint capsule, each knee was inoculated with 0, 10², 10³, or 10⁴ colony forming units (CFU) of MRSA. Animals were sacrificed after 7 days at which time joint aspirate, tissues and biomaterial samples were examined for evidence of infection.

A total of 42 knees were used for analysis. When saline was injected into the knee, 0/10 of the knees demonstrated evidence of biomaterial centered infection (with the contralateral knee receiving 10⁴ CFU MRSA). Four of 10 knees developed a biomaterial centered infection when 10² CFU MRSA was introduced. Seven out of 10 knees developed a biomaterial centered infection when either 10³ or 10⁴ CFU MRSA was injected. No evidence of septicemia (positive blood cultures) was found in any animal. This rabbit knee model utilizes commonly employed inexpensive orthopaedic implant materials in an in vivo milieu and provides an effective method for the evaluation of treatments for biomaterial centered infections.