Open AccessSimultaneous bilateral septic arthritis of the knee after intraarticular steroid injection: A clinical report
Author(s) -
Sudarshan Munigangaiah,
Theresa A O'Sullivan,
Brian Lenehan
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of natural science, biology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.236
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 2229-7707
pISSN - 0976-9668
DOI - 10.4103/0976-9668.136278
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , septic arthritis , osteoarthritis , surgery , knee arthritis , arthritis , complication , knee joint , anesthesia , pathology , alternative medicine
Osteoarthritis of knee is one of the common problems in elderly population. Intraarticular corticosteroid injection is a conservative management modality in osteoarthritis of knee. Septic arthritis is an infective complication of intraarticular corticosteroid injection. Septic arthritis in rheumatoid arthritis patients have worse prognosis because of delay in diagnosis. A higher rate of infectious complications following intraarticular injection is expected in immunocompromised and rheumatoid patients. We would like to report an extremely rare case of simultaneous bilateral knee septic arthritis after bilateral knee intraarticular steroid injection in a rheumatoid arthritis patient. Patient was treated successfully with multiple bilateral knee arthroscopic washouts and long-term intravenous antibiotics. This case report emphasizes the increased risk of infection in rheumatoid arthritis patients and a risk benefit assessment on individual basis before carrying out intraarticular steroid injection. Patient should be aware of this increased risk of infection.