Although the incidence of infection associated with hip and knee prostheses is low, with the increasing number of arthroplasties being carried out, the total number of such cases is increasing. The pattern of infecting organisms after total joint arthroplasty has changed and gentamicin-resistant organisms are becoming increasingly common. In conjunction with surgical debridement, vancomycin added to a bone-cement carrier can be very effective in the treatment of infection caused by such organisms.

We report the results of its use in proven deep infection in 26 hip and seven knee arthroplasties. After a mean follow-up of 67 months, 32 patients remained clinically and radiologically free from infection. There was one recurrence and positive second-stage cultures of uncertain significance in three other patients. Vancomycin is potentially very useful in the management of deep infection after arthroplasty.