Joint replacements are performed over one million times a year in the U.S., and while the infection rate sits at just 1–2%, the consequences of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) are staggering. Experts are now drawing a stark comparison: the 5-year mortality rate of PJI rivals or exceeds that of certain cancers, yet the condition remains chronically underfunded and under-discussed. "We need to look at this like a cancer," says Harvard's Dr. Anoop K. Prasad — a framing that's gaining traction among orthopedic and infectious disease specialists alike.

A major part of the solution, experts say, is multidisciplinary care. A retrospective analysis found a 100% cure rate when a dedicated multidisciplinary team performed a debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) procedure, compared to just 48% when orthopedic surgeons worked alone. But access to these specialized teams is far from universal — patients in rural areas often travel hours for care, and not every county has an infectious disease specialist, let alone one focused on orthopedic infections.

Key Takeaways:

• A new unified PJI definition is expected in late 2026, following the 2025 International Consensus in Istanbul
• Multidisciplinary teams dramatically improve outcomes — 100% vs. 48% cure rate for DAIR procedures
• Antibiotic duration after DAIR remains an open question; optimal long-term regimens are still undefined
• Low PJI incidence makes large-scale trials difficult to design and power effectively

Why it matters: With joint replacement volumes rising and patients living longer, the total number of PJI cases is climbing — even if individual risk stays flat. Without coordinated research, standardized guidelines, and equitable access to specialized care, a preventable and treatable complication will continue to claim lives at a cancer-comparable rate.