Bilateral shoulder septic arthritis due to suspected bacterial endocarditis: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Septic arthritis is an orthopedic emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. It is typically caused by occult bacteremia which allows bacteria to seed the joint or local invasion of a soft tissue infection. Most cases of septic arthritis are caused by gram-positive bacteria, with the most common culprit being Staphylococcus Aureus. The reason septic arthritis is an orthopedic emergency is because of rapid destruction to cartilage. The mechanism of injury to cartilage is two-fold: bacterial enzymes are directly toxic to joint cartilage, and buildup of exudate can tamponade blood flow and cause anoxic injury. Typically, the knee is the most commonly involved joint. This is followed by the hip, ankle, elbow, wrist, and shoulder in descending order of occurrence. Polyarticular disease makes up a small percentage of these cases and if present, it is usually asymmetric and will involve at least one knee joint. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Bilateral joint septic arthritis is relatively rare. We present an uncommon case of atraumatic bilateral septic shoulders in an elderly man with a history of heart disease and insidious bilateral shoulder pain after golfing 18 holes. This presentation is unique not only in its rarity but also in its impact on our understanding of septic arthritis in the setting of medical comorbidities and a relatively unimpressive presentation. With a recent golfing day just prior to presentation, differential diagnoses other than septic arthritis included deltoid/rotator cuff muscle strain, acute on chronic rotator cuff tendinosis, acute on chronic rotator cuff tearing, acute flare up of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or crystalline arthropathy. With elevated inflammatory markers and an equivocal physical examination, our patient underwent advanced imaging via MRI and subsequent bilateral glenohumeral joint diagnostic aspirations that were consistent with septic arthritis due to his complaining of contralateral shoulder pain shortly after his admission. Immediately after said diagnosis was made, the patient was taken back for emergent bilateral open irrigation and debridement, as septic arthritis is an orthopedic emergency, and went on to recover appropriately on culture-directed intravenous antibiotic therapy. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This case report is impactful with regard to clinical practice for multiple reasons. First and foremost it is a cautionary tale for all clinicians with regard to the level of suspicion one must have for polyarticular septic arthritis in the setting of the multiply painful patient. Second, it demonstrates the utility of advanced imaging in the equivocal patient. Lastly, it underscores the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment, validating the existing algorithm for septic arthritis.

Single stage bilateral flexible intramedullary fixation of periprosthetic distal femur fractures.

We present a patient with bilateral Rorabeck II/Su III periprosthetic distal femur fractures treated successfully with bilateral single stage flexible intramedullary fixation. Flexible intramedullary fixation of Rorabeck II/Su III periprosthetic distal femur fractures provides the benefits of shorter operative time, lower blood loss, and preservation of bone stock compared to plate fixation and distal femur replacement. We suggest that for patients with similar injuries flexible intramedullary fixation can be a viable treatment option.

Single-stage bilateral distal femur replacement for traumatic distal femur fractures.

Treatment of periprosthetic distal femur fractures and comminuted intraarticular distal femur fractures with previous arthritis remains a difficult challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Previous case series have shown that distal femur replacement (DFR) can effectively compensate for bone loss, relieve knee pain, and allow for early ambulation in both of these fracture patterns. Owing to the typical low-energy mechanism of these injuries, a bilateral injury treated with DFR is rarely encountered. We present a patient with traumatic open left Rorabeck III/Su III periprosthetic distal femur fracture and closed right intraarticular distal femur fracture (AO fcation 33-C2) with end-stage arthrosis treated with single-stage bilateral DFR. We suggest that in patients with similar injuries, single-stage bilateral DFR can provide the benefits of early mobilization and accelerated recovery.