Fig. 2.

Flow chart of synovial fluid count categorized by infection eradication and infection persistence: 40 cases of two-stage exchange with a spacer were analyzed. We found 8 cases with persistent infection, defined by intraoperative samples for culture and histopathologic examination or intraoperatively evident pus. In the group of infection persistence, synovial leucocyte count was ≥ 2000/μl in 2 and < 2000/μl in 6 interstage aspirations. In the group of 32 cases with infection eradication, synovial leucocyte count was ≥ 2000/μl in one and < 2000/μl in 31 interstage aspirations