What is septic arthritis of the knee?
Septic arthritis is an infection in the joint (synovial) fluid and joint tissues. Different types of bacteria, viruses, and fungi can infect a joint. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, swelling, redness, and warmth. Quick treatment with antibiotics is needed to halt the risk of joint damage.
How is septic arthritis treated?
How is septic arthritis treated?
- Surgery: Removal of the inflamed tissue (surgical debridement) and IV (intravenous) antibiotics are necessary in most cases.
- Antibiotics: All cases of septic arthritis need to be treated with antibiotics.
Is septic arthritis an Orthopaedic emergency?
Septic arthritis is an uncommon orthopedic emergency that requires a high level of suspicion for diagnosis in a patient with risk factors. There are high morbidity and mortality in elderly patients and those with previous arthritis or intra-articular prosthesis even with adequate treatment.
What are the complications of septic arthritis?
Despite advances in diagnostic studies, powerful antibiotics, and early drainage, significant joint destruction commonly occurs. Septic arthritis can also cause many complications, including osteomyelitis, bony erosions, fibrous ankylosis, sepsis, and even death.
How do you get septic knee?
Septic arthritis can develop when an infection, such as a skin infection or urinary tract infection, spreads through your bloodstream to a joint. Less commonly, a puncture wound, drug injection, or surgery in or near a joint — including joint replacement surgery — can give the germs entry into the joint space.
How do you treat septic arthritis in the knee?
What’s the Treatment for Septic Arthritis? Septic arthritis treatments include using a combination of powerful antibiotics as well as draining the infected synovial fluid from the joint. It’s likely that antibiotics will be administered immediately to avoid the spread of the infection.
What causes sepsis in the knee?
A knee infection is a serious medical condition that often requires immediate and aggressive treatment. When bacteria contaminate the synovial fluid that lubricates your knee joint, an infection called a septic joint can be the result.
How long does it take to recover from septic arthritis?
The average stay in hospital if you have septic arthritis is about 2 weeks. Most people start feeling better quickly once they are given antibiotics.
What is the surgery for septic arthritis?
You may be told you need a procedure called an arthroscopy. This is where a surgeon inserts a fine, metal tube into the affected joint. If the infection is in a joint deep within your body, such as your hip, you may need open surgery to drain it.
Does septic arthritis require surgery?
Acute septic arthritis does not require synovectomy and often can be closed over drains after a single surgical procedure, whereas more chronic infections may benefit from serial debridement.
Why is septic arthritis considered a surgical emergency?
Septic arthritis is considered a surgical emergency. Diagnosis and prompt drainage is required to avoid continued joint damage, which can result in early onset arthritis. Septic arthritis typically occurs related to adjacent osteomyelitis (infection of the bone).
What is the most common cause of septic arthritis?
Bacterial infection with Staphylococcus aureus (staph) is the most common cause. Staph commonly lives on even healthy skin. Septic arthritis can develop when an infection, such as a skin infection or urinary tract infection, spreads through your bloodstream to a joint.
What medication is given for septic arthritis?
Septic arthritis medicine include intravenous vancomycin, ceftriaxone and ceftazidime. Treatment can then be changed to oral antibiotics such as cefixime or ciprofloxacin for at least one week.
Is septic arthritis a disability?
It is unusual for infectious arthritis (septic arthritis) to produce deformity severe enough to qualify under the joint dysfunction listing. See Winning Social Security Disability Benefits for Joint Dysfunction by Meeting a Listing. However, bone infection (osteomyelitis) in joints is a more serious matter.
How did I get septic arthritis?
How painful is arthritis in the knee?
There may be a persistent, dull ache, accompanied by flare-ups of more intense pain after certain activities that strain the knee joint (such as walking up stairs). With severe osteoarthritis of the knee, the pain can become continuous, interrupting sleep and making any form of weight-bearing activity severely painful.