Surgical Options and Approaches for Septic Arthritis of the Native Hip and Knee Joint.

Septic arthritis (SA) of the adult knee and hip is a constantly evolving and urgent surgical issue. The epidemiology has shifted over the last few decades as have the most popular antibiotics and surgical treatments. SA of all types is increasing in the United States. There remains a high variability in the conservative and surgical management options available. This review will outline the most current understanding of the etiology and epidemiology of SA and will also discuss the distribution of causative organisms and appropriate treatments for each. A summary of evidence for different debridement and reconstructive techniques will also be presented in addition to novel areas of research to decrease the morbidity of this constantly growing problem.

Intra-articular Fracture Pattern in Intercondylar Distal Femur Fractures: An Analysis of Frequency and Major Fracture Fragments.

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of intercondylar distal femur fractures requires anatomic reduction of intra-articular fragments and absolute fixation. Preoperative planning is necessary to understand fracture morphology. All fracture lines need to be recognized as the primary implant may not capture all articular fragments, mainly when coronal plane fractures are present. Oftentimes, independent interfragmentary compression screws are necessary. No recent studies have visually mapped out the distal femur articular fracture fragments necessary for absolute fixation. The objectives of this study are to determine the frequency of coronal plane fractures in intercondylar distal femur fractures and describe the pattern of intra-articular fracture fragments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The hospital's trauma registry was queried for distal femur ORIF CPT codes logged in the past four years. A retrospective chart review was performed using the EMR and CT scans. Demographics and mechanisms of injury were analyzed. Fracture fragments were surveyed and drawn out by hand on a template for easy organization. Patients' fractures were categorized into the following groups: fractures with no intra-articular coronal plane fractures, those with medial coronal fractures, those with lateral coronal fractures, or those with both medial and lateral coronal fractures. Major fracture fragments were identified. RESULTS: A total of 55 patients were included. 26 patients (47%) were found to have no intra-articular coronal plane fractures; 6 patients (11%) were found to have medial coronal plane fractures; 15 patients (27%) were found to have lateral coronal plane fractures, and 8 patients (15%) had medial and lateral coronal plane fractures. Collectively, intra-articular coronal plane fractures were identified in 29 patients (53%) with intercondylar distal femur fractures. Four major fracture fragments along with intercondylar and condylar comminution sites were identified. DISCUSSION: Distal femur intra-articular coronal plane fractures can yield large anterior and posterior condylar fracture fragments of either the medial condyle, lateral condyle, or both condyles. Coronal plane fracture fragments must be identified to obtain absolute fixation. Our study found a higher coronal plane fracture line frequency (52.7%) than prior commonly cited studies. Surgeons must be on the lookout for anterior fracture fragments, posterior fracture fragments, and articular comminution when treating intercondylar femur fractures.