Traumatic Arthrotomy
Traumatic Arthrotomy
Traumatic Arthrotomy
What It Is
• A laceration into the joint exposes the normally sterile intra-articular contents to
external contamination, and can imminently become a septic arthritis.
• Urgent. Diagnosis must be made in a timely manner and should be taken to the
OR expeditiously, although not truly emergent if antibiotics have been started.
When to Be Suspicious
• Any penetrating trauma around a joint should be evaluated for potential trau-
matic arthrotomy.
How to Diagnose
How to Treat
References
Metzger P, Carney J, Kuhn K, Booher K, Mazurek M. Sensitivity of the saline load test with and
without methylene blue dye in the diagnosis of artificial traumatic knee arthrotomies. J Orthop
Trauma. 2012;26(6):347–9.
Konda SR, Davidovitch RI, Egol KA. Computed tomography scan to detect traumatic arthrotomies
and identify periarticular wounds not requiring surgical intervention: an improvement over the
saline load test. J Orthop Trauma. 2013;27(9):498–504.