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BACKGROUND:Mycobacterium tuberculosis periprosthetic joint infection (TBPJI) is a rare complication of hip/knee joint arthroplasty. The outcomes of hip/knee TBPJI treatment are still unreported. The objective of this study was to investigate the outcomes of hip/knee TBPJI following treatment with two-stage exchange arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS:From 2003 to 2013, 11 patients with TBPJI (six hips and five knees) were treated with two-stage exchange arthroplasty at our institution. We collected and analyzed variables including demographic data, comorbidities, microbiological data, duration of symptoms, and types of antibiotic used in bone cement. RESULTS:At the most recent follow-up, the success rate of two-stage exchange arthroplasty was 63.3% (7 of 11). All five knee treatments resulted in infection eradication and successful prosthesis reimplantation. However, only two hip TBPJI treatments resulted in successful outcomes; two patients died and two experienced chronic infection. Overall, secondary bacterial infections were common in patients with TBPJI (5 of 11 cases, 45.5%). Streptomycin in bone cement increased the success rate (83.33% vs. 40%). CONCLUSION:More than one third of the patients treated with two-stage exchange arthroplasty for TBPJI showed infection relapse or uncontrolled infection. Streptomycin-loaded interim cement spacers appeared to help ensure successful treatment. Routine M. tuberculosis culture is recommended when treating TBPJI in areas of high tuberculosis prevalence.