Acute osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and discitis: differences between neonates and older children

Abstract

There are aetiological, clinical, radiological and therapeutic differences between musculoskeletal infection in the neonate (and infant) and in older children and adults. Due to the anatomy and blood supply in neonates, osteomyelitis often co-exists with septic arthritis. Discitis is more common in infants whereas vertebral body infection is more common in adults. This review article discusses the important clinical and radiological differences that in the past have led many authors to consider neonatal osteomyelitis a separate entity from osteomyelitis in the older child.