Reviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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Septic arthritis is an infection of a joint space. This can be caused by a wound that penetrates the joint allowing bacteria to enter, complications following surgery, or by bacteria traveling from distant sites via the bloodstream into the joint.
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
Treatment involves eradicating the infection with a combination of antibiotics and surgical intervention. Surgery involves washing the joint to eliminate bacteria, this can be done with minimally invasive or open techniques. In some cases, like joint replacements, any implants may need to be removed to eliminate the infection and later replaced.
Ross JJ. Septic Arthritis of Native Joints. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2017 Jun;31(2):203-218. doi: 10.1016/j.idc.2017.01.001. Epub 2017 Mar 30. PMID: 28366221.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891552017300016?via%3DihubHorowitz DL, Katzap E, Horowitz S, Barilla-LaBarca ML. Approach to septic arthritis. Am Fam Physician. 2011 Sep 15;84(6):653-60. PMID: 21916390.
https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2011/0915/p653.htmlGarcía-Arias M, Balsa A, Mola EM. Septic arthritis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2011 Jun;25(3):407-21. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2011.02.001. PMID: 22100289.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1521694211000258?via%3DihubWall C, Donnan L. Septic arthritis in children. Aust Fam Physician. 2015 Apr;44(4):213-5. PMID: 25901405.
https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2015/april/septic-arthritis-in-children/Male, 30s
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I was actually very impressed with the results it provided because, although I didn’t mention it during the questionnaire because I thought it was unrelated, it suggested I may have something I’ve actually been diagnosed with in the past.
(Sep 25, 2024)
Reviewed By:
Kent C Doan, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr Doan Graduated from the University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine and completed residency training in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of Colorado. He completed additional fellowship training in Orthopedic Sports Medicine at the prestigious Steadman Clinic and Steadman Philippon Research Institute in Vail, Colorado. He is a practicing Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in complex and revision knee and shoulder surgery at the Kansas City Orthopedic Institute. He also holds an assistant professorship at the University of Kansas City.
Tomohiro Hamahata, MD (Orthopedics)
Dr. Hamahata graduated from the Jikei University of Medical Science. After working at Asanokawa General Hospital and Kosei Chuo Hospital, he joined the Department of Orthopedics at Asakusa Hospital in April 2021, specializing in general orthopedics and joint replacement surgery.
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