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Multidetector CT for thorn (wooden) foreign bodies of the knee

Hatem G Said1, Mohammad A Masoud, Hazem A Yousef

  • 1Arthroscopy Unit, Orthopedic Department, Assiut University Hospital, PO Box 110, Assiut, 71111, Egypt.

Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy : Official Journal of the ESSKA
|October 19, 2010
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Diagnosing wooden foreign bodies in the knee is difficult. Multidetector CT (MDCT) accurately located a date palm thorn causing septic arthritis, enabling successful surgical removal.

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedic Surgery
  • Radiology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Wooden foreign bodies in the knee are challenging to diagnose due to vague symptoms and inconclusive imaging.
  • Conventional radiography and MRI can be limited in identifying non-radiopaque foreign materials like thorns.

Observation:

  • A 16-year-old male presented with septic arthritis caused by a date palm thorn foreign body in the knee.
  • Initial diagnostic attempts, including two open surgeries and MRI, failed to definitively locate the thorn.
  • MRI revealed high signal intensity in the posterolateral compartment, suggesting inflammation but not a specific foreign body.

Findings:

  • 64 Multidetector CT (MDCT) precisely identified the wooden thorn and its exact location within the knee joint.
  • Arthroscopic removal of the thorn and synovectomy were successfully performed using a four-portal technique.

Implications:

  • MDCT is a highly effective imaging modality for diagnosing and localizing wooden foreign bodies in the knee.
  • Accurate localization via MDCT facilitates minimally invasive surgical intervention and improves patient outcomes.

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