Septic arthritis (SA) is an orthopedic emergency in childhood. It is uncommon in high resource settings. However, an incidence of 5-20 per 100,000 children has been reported in low-income countries. Area covered: The predictive value of serum markers is still under debate and the proposed diagnostic algorithms for SA are not sufficiently validated in children. Recent data suggest that short-course intravenous treatment, followed by oral therapy, is as effective as traditional long-term treatment. Results from three randomized controlled trials suggest that the addition of systemic steroids may accelerate clinical improvement. Minimally invasive surgical techniques have been proposed for treatment in recent years. Expert commentary: The causes and the epidemiology of septic arthritis will continue to mutate according to the changes in immunization practices, bacterial resistance patterns and the implementation of PCR techniques. Future research should focus on the assessment of appropriate antibiotic regimens and surgical procedures.
Keywords: Septic arthritis; antibiotic therapy; arthroscopy; arthrotomy; children; diagnosis; imaging techniques; joint aspiration.