Loss of a condyle of the femur or tibia following septic arthritis in infancy: problems of management and testing of a hypothesis of pathogenesis.

RESULTS: All eight cases showed characteristic features of loss of half the epiphysis, the underlying physis and part of the adjacent metaphysis; the other condyle was totally spared. The two children who underwent elaborate reconstructive procedures had poor outcomes at skeletal maturity, despite a series of additional operations. The foetal cadaveric study showed that complete infrapatellar synovial septae are present in some foetuses approaching 40 weeks of gestation.
CONCLUSIONS: The pattern of loss of a femoral or tibial condyle following septic arthritis is consistent with total preservation of the other condyle. The outcome of surgical reconstruction of the missing condyle is poor. The presence of a complete synovial septum could result in the localisation of infection to one half of the joint, with the destruction of one condyle.

PMID: 23904899 [PubMed]

Last Updated: 06 August 2013

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Loss of a condyle of the femur or tibia following septic arthritis in infancy: problems of management and testing of a hypothesis of pathogenesis.

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