06/01/2026
Hip and knee surgeons:
Still using the Big Ortho PJI panel?
Mayo Clinic published in 2021 (Ivy et al., Bone Joint J, PMID 34058872): the alpha-defensin biomarker in that panel is no more accurate than the synovial WBC and PMN% your lab already runs.
Two peer-reviewed figures:
→ ~$3,916 = published cost-effectiveness ceiling (Torchia 2019)
→ ~$400 = OrthoKEY published price (Tipton 2026, n=2,011)
OrthoKEY sits ~90% below the ceiling and delivers:
✓ Pathogen identification (bacterial + fungal)
✓ Resistance gene profile
✓ Same biomarkers as the Big Ortho panel
✓ Polymicrobial detection
✓ Result in as little as 24 to 48 hours
Learn more → https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.1816780/full