South Med J 2019 04;112(4):238-243
From the Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, and the Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems of Connecticut, West Haven.
Objective: To determine whether there are differences in the outcomes of native joint septic arthritis (SA) in adults, based on medical versus surgical management.
Methods: A 10-year retrospective single-center study was conducted of patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2015 with a diagnosis of SA to compare outcomes based on the management approach taken: medical (bedside closed-needle joint aspiration) versus surgical (arthrotomy/arthroscopy). Evaluated outcomes included joint recovery, time to recovery, length of stay, disposition to home versus rehabilitation unit, recurrence of SA in the same joint, and mortality. Read More