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Twenty-month-old patient with distal humerus fracture and concomitant septic arthritis

Heather D Beach1, Nestor Valeron, Marc Yves-Rene Linares

  • 1Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Miami Children's Hospital, Miami, FL 33155, USA. hdbeach@hotmail.com

Pediatric Emergency Care
|February 11, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Prompt diagnosis of septic arthritis in children is crucial. This case highlights Streptococcus pneumoniae posttraumatic septic arthritis in a young child, emphasizing diagnostic challenges even without an open fracture.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Infectious Diseases
  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Septic arthritis, a joint infection, demands rapid medical attention.
  • Diagnosis in children is often difficult, risking long-term joint damage.
  • Posttraumatic septic arthritis is uncommon and diagnostically complex.

Observation:

  • A case study of a 20-month-old boy is presented.
  • The child was fully immunized.
  • No open fracture was evident.

Findings:

  • The patient was diagnosed with Streptococcus pneumoniae posttraumatic septic arthritis.
  • This occurred despite the absence of an open fracture, complicating the diagnosis.
  • The causative agent was identified as Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the need for high clinical suspicion for septic arthritis in pediatric trauma.
  • It highlights the potential for posttraumatic septic arthritis caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
  • Early recognition and treatment are vital to prevent joint morbidity in children.

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