Knee Septic Arthritis after Arthroscopy: Incidence, Risk Factors, Functional Outcome, and Infection Eradication Rate

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Septic arthritis following knee arthroscopy is a rare but serious complication.
• Deep knee infections after arthroscopy require careful management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and analyze literature on knee infections after arthroscopy.
• To highlight incidence, causative bacteria, risk factors, and outcomes of postarthroscopy knee infections.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review using keywords: "septic arthritis" OR "infection" AND "arthroscopy" AND "knee."
• Included simple arthroscopic procedures (debridement, meniscectomy, etc.); excluded complex procedures.

Main Results:

• Thirteen studies were reviewed, with infection incidence ranging from 0.009% to 1.1%.
• Staphylococci were the most common causative organisms.
• Identified risk factors include intraoperative steroid use, smoking, obesity, male sex, diabetes, multiple procedures, longer surgery time, and prolonged tourniquet use.

Conclusions:

• Postarthroscopy septic arthritis leads to significant morbidity, often requiring reoperation and extended antibiotic treatment.
• Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial for achieving a high success rate in managing knee infections.