Contribution of Sonication to the Identification of Megaprosthesis Infection in Culture Negative Oncologic Patient

Conventional central osteosarcoma mainly affects the metaphysis of long bones in young people. The use of megaprostheses in oncological patients has increased in recent years. However, this type of surgery is not exempt from complications, with infections being the most common. In recent years, the presence of biofilm-forming bacteria has increased. Biofilm characteristics allow bacteria to resist hostile environmental conditions. The application of long wave ultrasound (process known as sonication) on the rescued inert material before culture interrupts the biofilm and generates a significantly higher recovery of bacterial growth compared to conventional tissue culture. We present the case of a 12-year-old patient with osteosarcoma of the femur, who, after surgery, developed a prosthetic infection detected by sonication, with negative soft tissue culture.