Management of Knee Dislocation Because of Posttraumatic Septic Arthritis Neglected for 40 Years

Abstract

The literature discussing the management of adults with late sequelae of knee-joint septic arthritis is rather sparse. This is in marked contrast to the plethora of references regarding reconstructive hip surgery for the late sequelae of joint infection during childhood. Appropriate and timely treatment of septic arthritis seldom results in devastating complications such as joint destruction with concomitant dislocation. Such complications are currently rare in countries with well-developed health systems, possibly because there is a high index of suspicion and the appropriate treatment is highly effective. We report a case of the management of a neglected posterior knee dislocation as a late sequela of septic arthritis in adolescence. The apparent rarity of such a devastating complication and the fact that it represents a challenging therapeutic problem could be of significant educational value for an orthopedic surgeon confronted with a similar case, enabling him to accurately assess the patient preoperatively and plan the treatment stages using the Ilizarov device to enhance a valuable functional outcome.