Surgical Treatment for Septic Arthritis of the Knee Joint in Elderly Patients: A 10-year Retrospective Clinical Study

Abstract

Septic arthritis is the most rapidly destructive joint disease, but its early diagnosis remains challenging; delayed or inadequate treatment, even by expert physicians, can lead to irreversible joint destruction. Between 25% and 50% of patients develop irreversible loss of joint function, which is especially concerning in elderly patients. To understand the factors influencing the outcome of septic arthritis, the authors reviewed patients aged older than 50 years who had undergone debridement surgery for primary septic arthritis at their institution between 1998 and 2008. Ninety-two patients (92 knees) were enrolled in the study; 14 did not meet inclusion criteria and were excluded from the final analysis. Of the 78 included patients, 7 underwent arthrodesis, 22 underwent total knee arthroplasty, 19 were indicated for total knee arthroplasty for severe knee joint osteoarthritis but did not undergo surgery by the end of this study, and the remaining 30 had no or mild symptoms of osteoarthrosis and did not receive any surgical procedure. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogenic agent (38%), followed by mixed bacterial infection (10%). Several factors negatively influenced the final clinical outcome, including delayed treatment, advanced macroscopic staging made during debridement surgery, performing multiple debridement surgeries, and a larger Lysholm score difference pre- and posttreatment. More antibiotics administered, longer duration of antibiotic treatment, and more pathogenic agents present were also significantly correlated with poor outcome. These findings shed new light on the management of septic arthritis. Accurate diagnoses and effective treatments are important for the clinical outcome of knee joint bacterial infection in elderly patients.