Summary
Three children with suppurative arthritis and osteomyelitis are described to emphasise that delayed or incorrect diagnosis may lead to serious cardiopulmonary complications. In two patients, bilateral bronchopneumonia developed with pneumatocoeles, pneumothorax and empyema. The other had cardiac failure from septic pericarditis. In one case, disarticulation of the knee was needed as a life-saving measure, and the other leg developed an infected pseudarthrosis of the tibia. The causative organism in each case was staphylococcus aureus and no evidence of immunodeficiency was demonstrated.
Résumé
Description de trois cas d'arthrite septique et d'ostéomyélite de l'enfant qui permettent de souligner qu'un diagnostic tardif ou erroné peut être cause de graves complications cardio-pulmonaires. Chez deux enfants survint une bronchopneumonie bilatérale, avec pneumatocèle, pneumothorax et empyème. Le troisième présenta une insuffisance cardiaque, conséquence d'une péricardite septique. Dans un des cas il fut nécessaire de pratiquer une désarticulation du genou d'indication vitale, tandis que l'autre jambe évoluait vers la pseudarthrose infectée du tibia. Le staphylocoque doré était en cause dans tous les cas, sans aucun argument en faveur d'un déficit immunitaire.
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Porat, S., Goitien, K., Saperia, B.S. et al. Complications of suppurative arthritis and osteomyelitis in children. International Orthopaedics 15, 205–208 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192295
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192295