Septic Arthritis Of Elbow Research Articles

Elbow septic arthritis in children: clinical presentation and management

The elbow is a rare location for septic arthritis, and this fact may produce diagnostic errors. The purpose of this study is to determine the most typical clinical presentation and to evaluate the management and functional outcome of these patients. We present our experience with this entity. This is a retrospective study of seven cases between February 2004 and November 2007, five girls and two boys with a mean age of 2.8 years, ranging from 1.2 to 4.9 years. We explain our diagnosis criteria and management algorithm. Functional results were evaluated using the Mayo Elbow Performance Score. It is necessary to suspect septic arthritis in an elbow with persistent pain and functional limitation (24-48 h) and no earlier trauma. The most frequent infectious agent is Staphylococcus aureus. Using specific antibiotics until the disappearance of radiological changes we have obtained excellent clinical results according to the Mayo Elbow Performance Score.

Arthroscopic Debridement and Irrigation of Periprosthetic Total Elbow Infection

Abstract We report on a case of arthroscopic treatment of septic arthritis of the elbow joint in a 65-year-old man with an elbow endoprosthesis. Two months after arthroplasty of the elbow joint, the patient developed acute septic arthritis of the right elbow. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was identified as the causative organism. Six days after the onset of symptoms, the patient was treated with a single arthroscopic procedure of the infected periprosthetic joint, including irrigation with 5 L of Ringer’s lactate solution, debridement, and partial synovectomy with a 4.5-mm curved shaver. Intravenous antibiotic therapy was also used for 3 months including rifampicine and fucidic acid according to the intraoperative cultures. The acutely infected total elbow arthroplasty could be cured without removal of the endoprosthesis of the elbow. Ten months postoperatively, the patient remains free of symptoms and his blood rates are within normal limits.

Acute posterior interosseous nerve palsy caused by septic arthritis of the elbow: A case report

A rare case of acute posterior interosseous nerve palsy caused by septic elbow arthritis is reported. The nerve was compressed beneath the arcade of Frohse by hypertrophied synovium and joint fluid at the anterior aspect of the radial neck. Decompression of the nerve, synovectomy, and irrigation of the elbow joint were done. effective. Six months after the surgery the nerve palsy had recovered completely. Two years after surgery there was no recurrence of the infection or nerve palsy. (J Hand Surg 2003;28A:44–47. Copyright © 2003 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.)