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Case Reports
. 2016 Jan 9;2(1):15-18.
doi: 10.1016/j.artd.2015.11.003. eCollection 2016 Mar.

Rapidly destructive osteoarthritis can mimic infection

Gavin Hart  1 , Thomas Fehring  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Rapidly destructive osteoarthritis can mimic infection

Gavin Hart et al. Arthroplast Today. .

Abstract

The intraoperative appearance of rapidly destructive osteoarthritis and septic arthritis can be similar. Three patients at our institution demonstrated preoperative or intraoperative findings potentially consistent with infection during primary total hip arthroplasty; however, none of these patients were found to have an actual infection. One of these patients underwent an unnecessary 2-stage total hip arthroplasty secondary to the intraoperative appearance of their joint fluid. We advocate performing an infection workup preoperatively when patients present with rapid degenerative changes of their hip joint to diminish the uncertainty of proceeding with arthroplasty.

Keywords: Avascular necrosis; Rapidly destructive osteoarthritis; Septic arthritis; Total hip arthroplasty.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient 1 at follow-up for left hip (a), 3 months later with right hip pain (b), initial postoperative radiograph (c), and post-operatively 9 months after THA (d).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Patient 2 at presentation (a), follow-up visit 3 months later (b), and postoperatively 2 years after initial presentation (c).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Patient 3 at presentation (a), at 1 month postoperatively (b), and 18-month follow-up (c).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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