Are Gram Stains Useful for the Diagnosis of Infected Total Knee Arthroplasties?

Gram stains are considered to be a standardized, cost-effective technique for diagnosing periprosthetic infections in patients after total knee arthroplasty. Specimens for gram staining are often obtained from joint aspirations and wound cultures. Recently, the utility of gram stains in diagnosing infections has been questioned. This study assessed the effectiveness of gram stains performed from aspiration fluid and surgical-site tissue by comparing their results to cultures grown from the same samples.