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Peripheral Bacterial Septic Arthritis: Review of Diagnosis and Management

Ahmed S Hassan, Allison Rao, Augustine M Manadan

    Journal of Clinical Rheumatology : Practical Reports on Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Diseases
    |September 20, 2017
    PubMed

    Insights

    Septic arthritis, a joint infection, is a medical emergency. Diagnosis requires identifying organisms in synovial fluid, and treatment involves joint drainage and antimicrobials.

    Area of Science:

    • Orthopedics
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Rheumatology

    Background:

    • Septic arthritis is a joint infection with significant morbidity and mortality.
    • It is considered a musculoskeletal emergency, with an incidence of 2-6 cases per 100,000 people annually.
    • The typical presentation is acute monoarthritis.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review the diagnosis and management of septic arthritis.
    • To highlight the importance of synovial fluid analysis for diagnosis.
    • To discuss current treatment strategies, including joint drainage and antimicrobial therapy.

    Main Methods:

    • Review of existing literature on septic arthritis.
    • Analysis of diagnostic criteria, including synovial fluid white blood cell count.
    • Evaluation of treatment options for septic bacterial arthritis.

    Main Results:

    • Synovial fluid aspiration before antibiotics is crucial for diagnosis.
    • Elevated synovial fluid white blood cell counts (often >50,000/μL) suggest infection.
    • Adequate joint drainage and antimicrobials are the mainstays of treatment.

    Conclusions:

    • Septic arthritis requires prompt recognition and management.
    • While joint drainage is essential, optimal methods lack definitive guidelines.
    • Treatment focuses on source control via drainage and targeted antimicrobial therapy.

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