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Sternoclavicular joint septic arthritis and mediastinitis. A case report and review of the literature

  • Orthopaedic Surgery
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Abstract

Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint is rare. Its causes have been reported to include immuno-compromizing diseases, intravenous drug abuse, fractures of the clavicle or catheterization of the subclavian vein. We report a case of septic arthritis of the SCJ in a diabetic patient following periarticular injection of steroids in the ipsilateral shoulder, as this route of infection has not been documented, to our knowledge, in the literature to date. We review the literature regarding epidemiology and methods of surgical treatment that have been proposed, and present our own surgical experience. Bacterial infection should always be suspected in cases of SCJ arthritis. If surgery is required, it is important to remember that bony procedures leave vascular structures exposed, making their cover by myoplasty mandatory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgery, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece

    Dimitrios A. Mikroulis, Lukman A. Lawal & Georgios J. Bougioukas

  2. Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Democritus University of Thrace, University Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Dragana, Alexandroupolis, 68100, Greece

    Dionyssios A. Verettas, Konstantinos C. Xarchas & Konstantinos J. Kazakos

Authors
  1. Dimitrios A. Mikroulis
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  2. Dionyssios A. Verettas
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  3. Konstantinos C. Xarchas
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  4. Lukman A. Lawal
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  5. Konstantinos J. Kazakos
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  6. Georgios J. Bougioukas
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Konstantinos C. Xarchas.

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Mikroulis, D.A., Verettas, D.A., Xarchas, K.C. et al. Sternoclavicular joint septic arthritis and mediastinitis. A case report and review of the literature. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 128, 185–187 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-006-0273-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-006-0273-8

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