INFORM - Orthopaedic Infection Management

Researchers, surgeons and patients from around the UK joined together to design and deliver the INFORM research programme. Since 2014, they had been investigating why some patients develop infections after their hip or knee replacement surgery, and which type of surgical revision treatment is best.

The research was funded by a programme grant from the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research, Programme for Applied Research), and was coordinated by the University of Bristol’s Musculoskeletal Research Unit, based at Southmead Hospital, Bristol.

Following the successful 6-year INFORM programme, researchers, orthopaedic surgeons, GPs, rehabilitation specialists, commissioners and patients from around the UK have worked together using expert consensus methods to develop best practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of prosthetic hip infection. These guidelines are now being implemented into practice in a follow on study called INFORM EP (Evidence into Practice).