[SIRS and ARDS as a result of drug injection in the shoulder region]

Bacterial infections with local inflammation or hematogenous spreading may occur after joint punctures and intra- or periarticular injections. The risk of severe infections increases in patients with diseases accompanied by low immunity, e.g., gout, alcoholism, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes mellitus. Cases of septic omarthritis after intra-articular injection with fatal outcome after delayed onset of therapy are known. In our clinic we treated a female patient who previously received an injection in the shoulder region in a different facility. On admission she was suffering from an abscess of the surrounding soft tissues, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Because the clinical picture was recognized early, we were able to prevent severe progression with organ failure. Another female patient developed a postinjection bacterial acromioclavicular arthritis followed by septic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and eventually multiple organ failure (MOF). With inconspicuous clinical findings in the initial shoulder examination the bacterial arthritis was detected as the cause of sepsis only after intensive investigations.