Paediatric Infections
A 3-year-old boy presents with a 2-day history of refusal to walk and irritability. He is febrile (38.8°C) and holds his right hip in flexion, abduction, and external rotation. There is no history of trauma. Blood tests show WBC 14,000/μL with left shift and ESR 55 mm/hr. He appears toxic. X-ray shows widening of the hip joint space. His parents are anxious about what this could be. Regarding septic arthritis in children:
Mark each as TRUE or FALSE
Septic arthritis in children is a surgical emergency; the hip is the most commonly affected joint, f...
The Kocher criteria help distinguish septic arthritis from transient synovitis of the hip: fever gre...
Septic arthritis can be safely observed without drainage; the knee is the most common joint affected...
The child holds the affected hip in flexion, abduction, and external rotation (position of maximum j...
Treatment is urgent surgical drainage (arthrotomy or arthroscopy) plus IV antibiotics; the hip joint...
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Click T (True) or F (False) for each option