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A comparison of medical drainage (needle aspiration) and surgical drainage (arthrotomy or arthroscopy) in the initial treatment of infected joints.

Acute infectious arthritis remains a clinical emergency where early diagnosis and appropriate therapy are essential to a successful outcome. The therapeutic requirements for a successful outcome include early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotics, joint mobilization and adequate drainage. The method of drainage can be medical with needle aspiration or surgical with arthroscopic or open surgical debridement. The literature review presented in this chapter supports the value of the initial use of medical therapy in the management of the acutely infected joint, with surgical drainage reserved for failure of medical management or for initial drainage of hip infections where needle aspiration is difficult.