A Case of Septic Arthritis of Shoulder Presenting as Stiffness of the Shoulder

Septic arthritis of the shoulder is uncommon in adults. It is a surgical emergency as joint destruction occurs rapidly and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Accurate diagnosis can be particularly challenging in patients with underlying liver disease. MRI is a useful adjunct in early detection of atypical causes of shoulder pain.

A 43 years old male came to our outpatient department with complaints of pain and stiffness of his left shoulder. On examination, his shoulder movements were severely restricted. Further evaluation with MRI revealed septic arthritis of left gleno-humeral joint for which emergency arthroscopic debridement was done.

Septic arthritis of shoulder may not present with classical clinical features. Hence, a through clinical and radiological evaluation will help us prognosticate and treat accordingly thereby preventing complications like septic shock, osteomyelitis.