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Published on: November 20, 2015
Osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in premature infant
B Goldstein1, P Manolas, J W Silver
1Department of Surgery, Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY.
Insights
A premature infant with Pseudomonas aeruginosa knee sepsis was treated with antibiotics and joint aspiration. Surgical intervention ultimately cured the infection, restoring full knee mobility.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Orthopedic Surgery
Background:
- Premature infants born at 26 weeks' gestation face significant health risks, including anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress syndrome.
- Neonatal sepsis is a serious condition requiring prompt and effective treatment.
Observation:
- A 68-day-old premature infant developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis in her right knee.
- Initial treatment involved daily knee aspirations, antibiotic joint instillation, and intravenous antibiotics.
Findings:
- The infant showed no improvement after two weeks of conservative treatment.
- Surgical incision and drainage, combined with continued intravenous antibiotics, led to a complete resolution of the knee infection.
Implications:
- Early and aggressive surgical intervention may be crucial for treating neonatal Pseudomonas aeruginosa septic arthritis.
- Successful treatment restored the infant's full range of motion, highlighting the importance of comprehensive care in neonatal sepsis.
Abstract:
A premature infant girl was born at 26 weeks' gestation by normal spontaneous vaginal delivery. After suffering from anemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress syndrome, she developed Pseudomonas aeruginosa sepsis of the right knee at the age of 68 days. She was treated with daily knee aspirations, antibiotic joint instillation, and intravenous antibiotics, based on culture and sensitivity reports. Although the patient did not respond to this treatment for two weeks, surgical incision and drainage with continued intravenous antibiotics finally resulted in a complete cure of the infection and restoration of full range of motion of the knee joint.
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