Fig. 1.

Flow chart of synovial fluid culture categorized by infection eradication and infection persistence: 92 cases of two-stage exchange with a spacer were analyzed. We found 22 cases with persistent infection, defined by intraoperative samples for culture and histopathologic examination or intraoperatively evident pus. In the group of infection persistence, one culture was positive and 21 were negative at interstage aspiration. In the group of 70 cases with infection eradication, 4 cultures yielded growth and 66 did not at interstage aspiration