ROCHESTER, Minn. -- A team of Mayo Clinic researchers has discovered a new, more accurate diagnostic test to detect infection of prosthetic joints, potentially leading to better treatment options and patient outcomes.The new method, which samples bacteria that adhere to the prosthetic surface, was tested in a study of 331 patients with prosthetic hip or knee joints who were having their prosthetic joints removed for infection or another cause. The new diagnostic test detected more of the infected cases (78.5 percent) than did the conventional approach (60.8 percent). The findings are published in the August 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
