Septic Arthritis:

• important to identify route of infection: remote site spread, local spread (osteomyelitis, skin, soft tissue), introgenic spread (from needle therapies or diagnostics performed recently) or trauma
• this condition is a surgical emergency
• diagnosis: bloods (infection screen, inc. blood cultures if patient has a temp >38 degrees), aspirate joint (send sample to microbiology), X-ray, further imaging (MRI or ultra sound)
• treatment: antibiotics, immobilize +/- surgical washout
• N.B. before starting antibiotics it is best to get the microbiology samples first