Septic arthritis of the knee associated with calf abscess

Septic arthritis associated with extra-articular abscess is rare. We report on 2 non-rheumatic patients with septic arthritis of the knee associated with calf abscess. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a distinct leakage pathway from the knee joint in each patient. One was a ruptured popliteal cyst (posteromedial). Another was a pathologic popliteus hiatus (posterolateral). These patients underwent open drainage of the calf abscess via a small incision, followed by arthroscopic debridement of the knee. Careful palpation of the lower leg, followed by magnetic resonance imaging and needle aspiration, is important to exclude a possible extra-articular abscess regardless of the presence of a popliteal cyst.     

Dissecting a popliteal cyst after failed unicompartmental knee arthroplasty

This report documents the first case of a popliteal cyst in a knee with failed unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The cyst was treated successfully with the creation of a small communication hole between the posteromedial compartment and the popliteal cyst under direct arthroscopic visualization. This was followed by the replacement of a worn polyethylene insert via a small arthrotomy. Three months later, the popliteal mass had disappeared. This case suggests that a dissecting popliteal cyst may occur after UKA as one of the signs of a malfunction. It also suggests that treatment should be directed toward the joint and not the cyst itself.     

Surgical Management of Septic Arthritis of the Knee With a Coexistent Popliteal Cyst

We report a case of knee pyarthrosis in a 54-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and a popliteal cyst. The onset of infection coincided with a cortisone injection. Initial management consisted of arthroscopic irrigation and debridement (I&D) on 2 consecutive occasions without resolution of the infection. Only after open excision of the popliteal cyst in conjunction with I&D of the knee joint proper did the infection resolve. This is the first reported case of a patient requiring excision of a popliteal cyst to clear pyarthrosis of the knee after failure of arthroscopic I&D. Consideration should be given to open debridement or drainage of popliteal cysts in patients who present with septic arthritis in the presence of a popliteal cyst. A treatment algorithm for managing this clinical scenario is presented.     

Secondary aneurysmal bone cyst of the patella

Aneurysmal bone cyst accounts for 1% of primary bone tumors and is one of the benign tumor-like lesions. Patellar involvement is quite rare. Its development on the basis of any previous lesion such as chondroblastoma is called secondary aneurysmal bone cyst. A 26-year-old male patient presented with right knee pain of three-year history. Physical examination showed a firm, immobile swelling at the anterior aspect of the right knee, without increase in temperature or redness of the skin. There was no pain on palpation and joint range of motion was normal. Radiological studies were suggestive of an aneurysmal bone cyst. At surgery, the cystic lesion was removed via curettage and the residual cavity was filled with an autogenous bone graft taken from the iliac wing. The histopathologic diagnosis was secondary aneurysmal bone cyst in association with chondroblastoma. During a 1.5-year follow-up, the patient had no complaint and no recurrence was observed.     

Tuberculosis of the knee joint: a case report

Tuberculosis may develop in the skeletal system apart from its primary location, the lungs. A 22-year-old male patient presented with complaints of severe pain and swelling in the left knee and difficulty in walking. The symptoms first appeared 12 years before and he underwent open surgical debridement and arthroscopic debridement at two other centers, at which time aspiration cultures taken from the knee yielded no growth. Physical examination showed a painful left knee with swelling, increased temperature, effusion, and limited range of motion. Based on history, physical examination, radiological studies, and laboratory findings, knee osteoarthritis was considered secondary to nonspecific septic arthritis and knee arthrodesis was performed. At surgery, marked destruction of articular cartilage and synovial hypertrophy were observed. In addition, a cavitary lesion was detected, about 1 x 1 cm in size, in the lateral femoral condyle without articular involvement. Biopsy cultures taken from the lesion showed growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the third week. This enabled a diagnosis of tuberculosis of the knee joint and antituberculous drug therapy was instituted. At six months postoperatively, the patient was on antituberculous treatment and had a painless knee.     

Tuberculosis of the knee masquerading as pigmented villonodular synovitis: Report of two cases

Introduction and importanceThe manifestation of tuberculous mimicry is challenging to diagnose, especially in extrapulmonary Tuberculosis (TB). Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) may mimic tuberculous arthritis of the knee joint. In young, otherwise healthy-appearing individuals, tuberculous arthritis and PVNS in the knee joint could present as monoarticular involvement, with painful swelling of extended duration and limited movement. The core therapies for tuberculous arthritis and PVNS are different.Case presentationThere are two patients. First, male 25 years old presented with a painful mass at the left knee of 3-years duration. The second patient was 14 years old boy who presented with a painful mass at his left knee for ten months before being admitted to the hospital. From the physical examination, plain x-ray, and MRI, both patients are highly suggestive of PVNS. However, the histopathology result and microbial culture showed a tuberculous-specific process.Clinical discussionBecause of its clinical manifestations, X-ray, and MRI features, patients were initially suspected of having the diffuse type of PVNS. An improper diagnosis may be due to atypical clinical presentation, wide use of antibiotics, the low specificity of diagnostic tools, and most of all, the clinician not prioritizing the possibility of tuberculous arthritis. Open biopsy and the result of the microbial culture establish the definitive diagnosis of knee tuberculosis.ConclusionIn conclusion, the clinical and radiologic findings in TB gonitis and PVNS are occasionally similar. Therefore TB gonitis should be highly suspicious, especially in endemic areas. Histopathology results and mycobacterial culture need to determine the diagnosis.     

关节镜下清理术结合囊肿-关节腔交通口扩大术治疗腘窝囊肿

目的探讨关节镜下清理术结合囊肿-关节腔交通口扩大术治疗腘窝囊肿的效果。方法对12例腘窝囊肿患者行关节镜下清理术结合囊肿-关节腔交通口扩大术。手术前后采用Lysholm膝关节功能评价、Rauschning和Lindgren分级方法和膝关节MRI进行评估。结果12例均获随访,时间12-23（16±4）个月,Lysholm评分术前为（55.8±3.7）分,术后6个月为（82.1±4.2）分,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,Rauschning和Lindgren分级术前为1级1例,2级1例,3级10例,术后6个月为1级11例,2级1例。所有患膝运动能力均较术前有所改善。结论关节镜下清理术结合囊肿-关节腔交通口扩大术治疗腘窝囊肿具有创伤小、康复快、复发率低的优点。     

关节镜下治疗腘窝囊肿的疗效

目的 探讨关节镜下切除腘窝囊肿的手术方法与疗效.方法 自2013年1月至2014年2月我科采用关节镜下切除25例腘窝囊肿,腘窝囊肿均为单膝,左膝13例、右膝12例.其中,男10例,女15例,年龄为40~65岁.术前常规体检、患膝X线和MRI检查,观察膝关节骨与软组织的病变.膝关节镜手术常规采用前内、前外侧入路,术中常规探查并清理膝关节内病变.评价病人并发症、疼痛、复发情况,采用Lysholm膝关节评分、美国膝关节协会评分(knee society score,KSS)、美国特种外科医院(Hospi-tal for Special Surgery,HSS)评分比较病人术前术后的情况.结果 25例病人均获得随访,随访时间为6~12个月,平均为(9.0±1.9)个月.复查MRI发现1例类风湿性膝关节炎病人腘窝囊肿复发,但无明显临床症状.术前Lysholm膝关节评分为(48.76±12.07)分,术后术后末次随访为(81.72±7.57)分;术前KSS为(52.32±11.16)分,术后末次随访为(85.84±6.85)分;术前HSS评分为(55.62±10.76)分,术后末次随访为(88.64±6.24)分.3个指标术后与术前比较,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05).结论 关节镜下打开内侧关节囊与腘窝囊肿之间的"阀门"并切除囊壁,可以达到治疗腘窝囊肿的目的.本研究手术方法简单有效、安全性高,并可同时处理腘窝囊肿的诱发因素,有效地降低囊肿的复发率.     

关节镜下经关节腔入路治疗成人腘窝囊肿

目的 探讨关节镜下经关节腔入路治疗成人胭窝囊肿的方法及临床疗效.方法 2004年10月至2006年10月,采用关节镜下经关节腔入路治疗成人腘窝囊肿15例.男5例,女10例;年龄45～60岁,平均50.5岁.胭窝囊肿均为单侧,其中右膝8例,左膝7例,术前均行MR检查,观察胭窝囊肿与膝关节腔是否相通.术中在扩大腓肠肌一半膜肌滑囊与关节腔后内侧室裂隙样结构的同时,处理关节腔内病变,全部手术均在关节镜下完成,并根据Rausohning和Lindgren评价方法评定手术效果.结果 术中发现15例胭窝囊肿患者均伴有不同程度的膝关节内病变,其中内侧半月板撕裂6例,外侧半月板撕裂3例,骨关节炎9例(4例合并内侧半月板撕裂,2例合并外侧半月板损伤),类风湿关节炎2例,前十字韧带损伤1例.术中及术后未出现重要血管和神经损伤.随访时间12～48个月,平均18.5个月,术后14例未出现囊肿复发.Rauschning和Lindgren评价方法:术前,Ⅰ级1例,Ⅱ级5例,Ⅲ级9例;术后,0级13例,Ⅰ级1例,Ⅱ级1例.随访结果满意.结论 成人腘窝囊肿是一种继发性疾病,治疗胭窝囊肿的同时应处理关节内的病变.关节镜下经关节腔入路治疗成人胭窝囊肿,具有创伤小、恢复快、复发率低、并发症发生率低等优点.     

Incision Infection With Mycobacterium tuberculosis After Total Hip Arthroplasty Without Any Primary Tuberculosis Focus

We describe a case of a tuberculous abscess unassociated with other clinical features of tuberculosis in a 46-year-old woman with a history of 4 hip surgeries plus total hip arthroplasty (THA) due to developmental hip dislocation. Four months after THA, she developed a collection at the incision site for which specimens produced positive culture findings for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We could not detect any primary focus of tuberculosis anywhere in the patient's body. We performed soft-tissue debridement and drainage completely above the fascia lata to remove pus. The infection recurred twice despite chemotherapy and the earlier treatment. At a 6-year follow-up examination, there was no sign of either tuberculosis or prosthetic loosening. To our knowledge, this is the first report of localized tuberculous abscess within a THA incision.     

Different forms of tuberculous hip arthritis (case study)

Tuberculous hip arthritis ranks third in the classification of orthopedic tuberculosis, after tuberculosis of the spine and knee joint. It accounts for about 15 % of all orthopedic tuberculosis. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the etiology, clinical presentation and forms of disease on the case reports of six patients. The scope of disease is wide - from a mild reversible synovial form, then fibrous or bone ankylosis, to severe destruction of the hip with subluxation or dislocation, pseudoarthrosis or chronic arthritis with a fistula. The wide diversity of clinical findings and difficulties is making diagnosis are often responsible for a late start of therapy. However, only an early and adequate treatment permits the prevention of irreversible damage to the hip joint or further complications. Key words: tuberculous hip arthritis.     

Elbow tuberculosis: an unusual location and diagnostic problem

Tuberculous arthritis of the elbow joint is not commonly seen by orthopaedic physicians. In the past 20 years, with the pandemic of the human immunodeficiency virus and the increase in immunocompromised people, we have observed a resurgence of tuberculosis. Osteoarticular involvement has increased, too. Spinal and monoarthritis of weight-bearing joints such as the hip or knee are most frequently involved. The elbow joint is an uncommon location of osteoarticular tuberculosis. The aim of this case report is to describe a case of tuberculous arthritis of the elbow and the diagnostic problems that may arise and lead to a delay in treatment.     

Lymphatic filling during knee arthrography.

Six cases of lymphatic filling during knee arthrography have been recorded in literature, all of which have had advanced rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of lymph vessel filling from a popliteal cyst in a young male nonrheumatoid patient. It is concluded that abnormal synovial-lymphatic connection in the knee joint may occur also in other forms of synovial pathology and such a finding does not indicate rheumatoid inflammation.     

Intracranial tuberculous abscess mimicking malignant glioma

Brain abscess is probably the least common manifestation of tuberculous infection of the central nervous system; meningitis and tuberculoma are much more common.A case of tuberculous brain abscess in a 23-year-old man with previous history of Tbc meningitis is presented. The computerized tomographic scan demonstrated a unilocular space-occupying lesion in the left thalamic region, surrounded by a thick hyperdense enhancing rim. It is suggested that a relatively long clinical history and previous Tbc meningitis history together with the appearance of a thick-walled abscesslike lesion on the CT scan may indicate the diagnosis of a tuberculous brain abscess. Only after neurosurgical removal of the abscess, the pathohistological examination reveal tuberculous etiology of the abscess. The patient later died from aspiration bronchopneumonia. Only 28 instances of tuberculous abscess have been reported in the literature.     

Arthroscopic treatment of popliteal cyst and associated intra-articular knee disorders in adults.

We describe a surgical arthroscopic treatment for popliteal cyst in a series of 30 patients, with a mean follow-up of 32 months. The treatment consists of a cure for the intra-articular pathology of the knee associated with popliteal cysts, and the contemporaneous correction of the valvular mechanism responsible for the formation and reoccurrence of popliteal cyst. The popliteal cyst in adults was found to be almost invariably associated with other knee disorders. In all of the cases studied, a connection between joint space and cyst was found. Arthroscopy allowed the treatment of almost all of the associated knee disorders and the removal of anatomic structures imposing the one-way passage of fluid from the joint space into the cyst. Two years after the treatment, we observed optimal or good clinical results in 95% of the patients treated.     

Gigantic popliteal synovial cyst caused by wear particles after total knee arthroplasty

We present a case exhibiting persistent joint effusion and formation of a gigantic popliteal synovial cyst 8 years after total knee joint arthroplasty. Assessment using flow cytometry revealed that both joint and cyst fluid contained abundant macrophage-phagocytosing wear particles. This finding indicates that wear particles participated in formation of the cyst through the communication between the joint cavity and cyst. Intraoperatively, prominent villous synovial proliferation was observed in both the joint and cyst, and delamination failure of the polyethylene insert was identified. Because no evidence of prosthetic loosening was found, only polyethylene insert revision and synovectomy were undertaken, resulting in a successful outcome. This case suggests that synovial cyst formation in popliteal lesions might represent a sign of wear-particle generation after total knee joint arthroplasty.     

Popliteal cysts (Baker's cysts) in adults. I. Clinical and roentgenological results of operative excision

Forty patients were re-examined between 6 months and 15 years (mean 4 years) after excision of a popliteal cyst. Forty-six operations had been performed, including one bilateral cyst and five recurrent cysts. The history was reviewed with respect to the preoperative symptoms, clinical and roentgenological signs, the operative and histopathological findings and the postoperative course. Fifteen operations were followed by wound healing complications or tense swelling of the calf simulating deep venous thrombosis. At clinical follow-up a reccurent cyst was found in 63 per cent of the knees. A simplified follow-up arthrography was performed in all knees, and revealed a cyst-like cavity in all but one knee. The majority of the recurrent cysts displayed irregularities of the wall that had not been seen in the preoperative arthrograms. Despite this high rate of recurrence most of the patients had fewer symptoms from the popliteal space at the time of follow-up than before the operation. as associated knee disorders were present in the majority of patients, popliteal cysts (Baker's cysts) should be regarded and, if possible, treated as secondary to the basic pathological condition of the joint. Only if the knee disorder is not curable and if the symptoms from the popliteal region are troublesome should excision of the cyst and tight closure of the communication with the joint be considered.     

Tuberculous osteomyelitis of the knee: a case report

Introduction: With the resurge of tuberculosis, due to the pandemic of the human immunodeficiency virus and the increase in the number of immunocompromised patients, osteoarticular tuberculosis has increased too. Materials and methods: We report of a 55-year-old patient, with chronic renal failure on haemodialysis, who presented with a painful knee and fever. Culture on Lowënstein–Jensen medium of joint liquid revealed a tuberculous affectation of the proximal tibia. Wide excision was performed, completed with 9 months of tuberculostatic drugs. At 1 year follow-up, the patient was free of symptoms. Conclusion: Tuberculous aetiology should be considered in the differential diagnosis of knee arthritis.     

Total hip arthroplasty for tuberculous coxitis.

We report a case of tuberculous arthritis of the hip in a 22 year old male patient, treated with arthrotomy and antituberculous antibiotic therapy for 9 months; the joint deteriorated and 2 years later he underwent uncemented total hip arthroplasty. He received antibiotic therapy for 3 months preoperatively and for 6 months postoperatively. At 5 year follow-up there was no evidence of recurrent infection.

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Résumé. Nous présentons un cas d′un homme de 22 ans, avec une arthrite tuberculeuse, que nous avons traité en faisant une arthrotomie de nettoyage, suivie de traitement anti-tuberculeux pendant 9 mois. Dans les 2 ans suivants il sést développé une sévère destruction de l′articulation avec douleur et limitation des mouvements. Alors, nous avons réalisé une arthroplastie totale de la hanche sans ciment, avec traitement antibiotique depuis 3 mois avant, et jusqu′a 6 mois aprés la chirurgie. Actuellement, le patient n′a pas de symptomes et il n′y a pas de signes d′infection, 5 années après la chirurgie.

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Accepted: 7 October 1999     

Chondroblastoma of the distal femur. A case report

The authors report a case of chondroblastoma which was localised in the distal femoral epiphysis in a 16-year-old boy. The lesion was large, rapidly expanding and extended into the knee joint. After diagnostic evaluation including tru-cut biopsy, the lesion was treated surgically with curettage and grafting with coralline hydroxyapatite. Four months after surgery the patient had no pain and had nearly full range of motion of the left knee. He was followed up for thirty-five months with routine radiographs and physical examination. He had no recurrence, no pain, and regained full range of motion of his knee. Most chondroblastomas involve the medullary cavity; they may rarely involve the cortex but to the best of our knowledge, no cases with soft tissue involvement have been reported in the literature.