Late sequelae of neonatal septic arthritis of the shoulder

• Published in: Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume Vol. 80; no. 4; pp. 645 - 650
• Main Authors: BOS, C. F. A, MOL, L. J. C. D, OBERMANN, W. R, TJIN A TON, E. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery 01.07.1998; British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery
• Edition: British volume
• Subjects: Arthritis, Infectious - complications; Arthritis, Infectious - diagnosis; Arthritis, Infectious - diagnostic imaging; Arthritis, Infectious - surgery; Bacterial arthritis and osteitis; Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Bone Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Bone Diseases - etiology; Bone Diseases - physiopathology; Esthetics; Follow-Up Studies; Growth Plate - diagnostic imaging; Growth Plate - growth & development; Growth Plate - pathology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Humerus - diagnostic imaging; Humerus - growth & development; Humerus - pathology; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious diseases; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Medical sciences; Ossification, Heterotopic - diagnostic imaging; Ossification, Heterotopic - pathology; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Rotation; Shoulder Joint - diagnostic imaging; Shoulder Joint - microbiology; Shoulder Joint - physiopathology; Shoulder Joint - surgery; Suction; Time Factors; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Treatment Outcome; Human; Neonatal; Prognosis; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Arthritis; Long term; Infection; Newborn diseases; Treatment; Shoulder; Adolescent; Arthropathy; Bacteriosis; Complication; Upper limb; Diagnosis; Child
• ISSN: 0301-620X; 2049-4394; 2044-5377; 2049-4408
• DOI: 10.1302/0301-620X.80B4.0800645

We reviewed eight children (ten shoulders) who had suffered neonatal sepsis, after a mean follow-up of 14 years (11 to 15). The delay between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was one day in five patients, two days in three and seven days in one. All ten shoulders were treated by aspiration, followed by arthrotomy in two. At follow-up, five of the ten shoulders had a full range of movement and the others had minimal restriction of external rotation. Shortening of 10 cm was present in one patient, while two with bilateral involvement had disproportionally short humeri. Early diagnosis and treatment favour the outcome in septic arthritis of the shoulder. With late diagnosis, deformation of the humeral head and shortening of the humerus cause marked cosmetic abnormality but negligible functional loss.