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Review
. 2025 Aug 15;7(1):43.
doi: 10.1186/s42836-025-00328-9.

We need a new acronym supplementing DAIR: Introducing DECRA

Edward J McPherson  1 , Rhidian Morgan Jones  2 , Rami M Sorial  3 , Madhav Chowdhry  4   5
Affiliations
Review

We need a new acronym supplementing DAIR: Introducing DECRA

Edward J McPherson et al. Arthroplasty. .

Abstract

The treatment for an acute Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI) is historically described using the acronym DAIR (Debridement, Antibiotics, Implant Retention). However, this acronym, by intention, does not imply that the modular parts of an implant system are always exchanged. There are many circumstances where modular exchange is not possible. It is well known that DAIR procedures with modular exchange show improved results. To reduce heterogeneity in the published literature, we introduce the supplementary acronym DECRA (Debridement, Modular Exchange, Component Retention, Antibiotics) for the treatment of acute PJI. The DECRA acronym will identify studies where modular exchange is always performed and will be separate from DAIR, where modular exchange is not performed or is unclarified. This will reduce heterogeneity and provide fidelity in research analysis. Moving forward, we advocate that the orthopaedic community, reviewers, and journal editors mindfully reflect this distinction in publications.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: E.J.M., 1) Royalties from a company or supplier: Zimmer-Biomet; 2) Speakers bureau/paid presentations for a company or supplier: Austin Medical Ventures, Zimmer-Biomet; 3) Paid consultant for a company or supplier: Austin Medical Ventures, Zimmer-Biomet; 4) Medical/Orthopaedic publications editorial/governing board: Reconstructive Review. R.M.J., 1) Speakers bureau/paid presentations for a company or supplier: paid speaker for ZimmerBiomet, Biocomposites, Tecres, Smith&nephew, LINK, DePuyJ&J; 2) Paid consultant for a company or supplier: Paid consultancy work for ZimmerBiomet & Biocomposites; 3) Research support from a company or supplier as a Principal Investigator: Smith&Nephew; 4) Medical/Orthopaedic publications editorial/governing board: British Orthopaedics Association (BOA) trustee, President of Bone and Joint Infection Society (BAJIS); 5) Board member/committee appointments for a society: British Orthopaedics Association (BOA) trustee, President of Bone and Joint Infection Society (BAJIS). R.M.S., 1) Royalties from a company or supplier: Corin; 2) Speakers bureau/paid presentations for a company or supplier: Corin, Zimmer Biomet; 3) Paid consultant for a company or supplier: Zimmer Biomet; 4) Research support from a company or supplier as a Principal Investigator: Zimmer Biomet; 5) Medical/Orthopaedic publications editorial/governing board: Arthroplasty and declares that he and other authors did not participate any review process; (6) Board member/committee appointments for a society: APAS. M.C.: None.

References

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