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If the surgery is done properly, why would you get an infection in an artificial joint?

Surgery is done in the most antiseptic conditions possible. All instruments used during surgery are sterilized, disposable equipment is all sealed until use, and the surgeons and nurses are covered in sterile clothing and use sterile gloves whenever they may have to touch the patients. They also wear masks to keep from coughing or sneezing, or even just breathing, germs into the air. As well, the ventilation system is specially designed to not allow "dirty" air into the operating room. Despite all those precautions, infections can still happen. Sometimes the cause can be found, other times it can't. One common reason for an infection in a joint replacement is if the patient already has an infection somewhere else in the body. It doesn't have to be obvious and no-one may even be aware of it. Many patient have to wait a while before they finally get their surgery date and they prepare for the surgery. Unfortunately, if they do have an infection, it's very likely the surgeon will postpone the surgery. This is very upsetting if you've been waiting, so some people may be tempted to not alert the surgeon to the infection. This can be dangerous and result not only in an infection in the joint, but in life-threatening complications.

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