Surgical and Functional outcome of Infective Knee Operated with Arthrotomy

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Infectious Diseases
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Septic arthritis of the knee is an orthopedic emergency requiring prompt intervention to prevent joint destruction.
• Arthrotomy remains a standard treatment, particularly in complex cases or resource-limited settings.
• Limited data exists on post-operative outcomes of arthrotomy for knee septic arthritis in the Indian context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate surgical and functional outcomes of arthrotomy in septic knees.
• To assess pain relief, complication rates, and recurrence after arthrotomy.
• To provide region-specific data for optimizing septic arthritis management in India.

Main Methods:

• Prospective cohort study of 30 adult patients undergoing medial parapatellar arthrotomy for native knee infection.
• Functional outcomes assessed using Knee Society Score (KSS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at multiple time points.
• Secondary outcomes included range of motion, quality of life, and microbiological analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in clinical and functional KSS (38 to 88, 30 to 84) and reduction in VAS pain scores (8 to 1) at 24 weeks.
• Low complication rate (13%), with no deep infections, mortality, or reoperations for infection.
• Recurrence rate of 7%, associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Conclusions:

• Open arthrotomy provides excellent infection control, rapid pain relief, and functional recovery in native knee septic arthritis.
• The procedure is safe and effective even in elderly patients with comorbidities.
• Outcomes support arthrotomy as a definitive treatment option, comparable or superior to arthroscopic methods.