Septic Arthritis & Difficulty getting the right diagnosis

Septic Arthritis  &  Difficulty getting the right diagnosis

POSTED ON JANUARY 24, 2020









(I "redacted"  bits of this due to so many issues with doctors, the medical field in general & the many malpractice suits whether true or not, there are many)... so I will just put the link to the page I got this from & the story is  also posted in my Today's Newspaper... Link*****Link to my paper  :   https://www.autoimmunearthriticsystemiclife.com/*****Link to article: & I remain "neutral" due o the nature of the subject and because I had "Septic Arthritis) although after seeing 3 doctors they really never "agreed" as far as the real diagnosis - the symptoms can  be signs of several diseases...  it took me about 3 months to really get clear of it - and at least 6 rounds of antibiotics to feel "safe" it was gone...)You trust your doctor to either know how to diagnose and treat your medical condition or at the very least, to understand when to refer you to someone with the expertise to handle your case, especially in the case of infections. Septic arthritis is one such serious infectious condition that, if not diagnosed and treated quickly, can lead to permanently damaged joints and other serious complications. When a doctor or another medical provider fails to appropriately diagnose or manage septic arthritis, the consequences for your health can be severe. If this occurs and you are wondering what options you may have to hold them accountable, the next thing to do is seek knowledgeable legal counsel.What is Septic Arthritis?Septic arthritis, or infectious arthritis, is a joint infection, commonly found in the knees but can also occur in the hips, shoulders and other joints. It is characterized by swollen, intensely painful joints with redness, warmth and stiffness, accompanied by chills and fever. The condition can present in a similar manner to other conditions, for example, rheumatoid arthritis or staph infection. If left untreated, the cartilage and bone within the joint degenerates and can be permanently damaged within mere days. In some cases of septic arthritis, the affected limb must be amputated. With the dangerous nature of this condition, prompt treatment is essential.What Causes Septic Arthritis?Septic arthritis is caused by a bacteria, virus or fungus, typically staphylococcus aureus infection, but also a urinary tract or skin infection. 91% of septic arthritis cases stem from staphylococcus or streptococcus bacteria. Among younger sexually active adults, gonorrhea is the most common disease that passes the infection from one person to another. Germs migrate through the bloodstream from one part of the body to another or go directly into the joints through an injury, injection or open wound caused by a penetrating object, such as an animal bite or surgery.Ordinarily, your joints can protect against infection naturally, but the body’s reaction to infection causes inflammation that increases pressure and reduces blood flow in the joint, causing damage. The increased use of prosthetic joints in recent history has increased the rate of infectious arthritis. Approximately 20,000 people suffer from the condition in the U.S. annually. Tragically, 11% of those afflicted with septic arthritis die. Communicable infections, like staph infections, create conditions favorable to septic arthritis and can be contagious if a person is exposed in a non-sterile environment.Septic arthritis largely affects infants and older people aged 65-plus, as well as those with existing joint problems. Some of the primary risk factors for septic arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis

• Gout

• Lupus

• Rheumatoid arthritis

• Weak immune systems

• Artificial joints

• Previous joint surgery or injury

• Skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis

• Open wounds

• Chronic immune-suppressing conditions like diabetes, kidney, and liver disease

• Joint trauma

All who are affected by one or more of the above risk factors are far more susceptible to septic arthritis than the general population. Notably, alcoholism, intravenous drug use and low socioeconomic status are also risk factors for the condition. Further, having more than one of these risk factors increases the potential for contracting the condition. People with rheumatoid arthritis and gout are especially vulnerable to septic arthritis because of their commonly prescribed immune-suppressing medications and symptoms that mirror those of septic arthritis. Doctors often misdiagnose or miss the diagnosis in these patients. Patients with hemophilia or HIV or also at risk for septic arthritis due to their low immunity.Diagnosis and Treatment for Septic ArthritisGiven the deadly nature of septic arthritis, a doctor should conduct arthrocentesis, the method used to detect the condition and confirm or rule out septic arthritis. In addition, blood testing and imaging tests may detect septic arthritis, but the surest method is joint aspiration, when synovial fluid in the joints is extracted and tested. Conditions that mimic the condition are abscesses, cellulitis, Lyme disease, malignancy, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteomyelitis, among others. It is critical for the treating physician to discern these imitative conditions from septic arthritis. Obtaining an accurate patient history can help the provider discover risk factors indicating probable infectious arthritis. Otherwise, there is no gold standard of early detection other than the physician’s expertise at recognizing musculoskeletal diseases and their copycats, or referring the patient to a specialist who is experienced in this area of practice. Once septic arthritis has been diagnosed, treatment may consist of intravenous antibiotics, surgery or aspirations in the affected area. Time is of the essence when a person is affected by septic arthritis, so diagnosing and treating the condition in a timely manner is a must.Septic Arthritis Malpractice Failure to detect septic arthritis results in significantly higher rates of complications, permanent damage and even death. When a doctor fails to diagnose or misdiagnoses this serious condition, they may ultimately be found liable for medical malpractice. Generally, medical malpractice occurs when a physician or other healthcare provider fails to diagnose a condition, misdiagnoses a condition, fails to treat an illness or disease, or improperly treats such an ailment, which leads to some form of injury or death for the patient. Given the training and experience of medical professionals, patients rely on their expertise to address their symptoms, provide appropriate treatment, and ultimately, to keep them from harm.If you believe your doctor mishandled your septic arthritis case in New Jersey, you typically have two years from the date of injury (or the date at which you became aware of said injury) within which to file a malpractice lawsuit. An affidavit of merit is required by law when filing a lawsuit against a medical professional. The affidavit of merit will require a doctor in the same field as the defendant to declare under oath that the care, skill or knowledge shown during the diagnosis and treatment of the patient fell below the medical standard of care under the circumstances. There are strict time limits within which to file specific documents in order to avoid your case being dismissed. Due to the complexity of medical malpractice litigation in New Jersey, it is highly advisable to seek help from an attorney with extensive experience handling claims like yours.Your Septic Arthritis If you or a loved one suffered harm due to a doctor or other medical provider’s negligence involving diagnosis or treatment for septic arthritis, consult a knowledgeable medical Additional & Related Information:

• Septic arthritis Background, Medscape

• Septic Arthritis Overview, MayoClinic

• Management of septic arthritis: a systematic review, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases

• Evaluation and Management of Septic Arthritis and its Mimics in the Emergency Department, The Western Journal of Emergency Medicine

• Medical Malpractice Involving Sepsis

LINK to this article:   https://www.fronzutolaw.com/articles/malpractice-with-septic-arthritis/

Infection in Left Knuckles Infected & on another round of antibiotics Still with me, along with more issues, now the city and my road a mess they have made!

SO! I STILL HAVE AN INFECTED "HAND" joints, whatever! I have been through hell this past 10 days or more. Between this hand, worrying about having to postpone the pacemaker AGAIN! (no way they will do a pacemaker when I have an infection still going), then the city had FRIGED UP MY ROAD! I found out THEY SCREWED UP, HAVE HAD US HALF WAY BLOCKED IN AND WE NEVER KNOW IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET IN AND OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAYS -

they did this AND NEVER WARNED ANY OF US! I talked to neighbors yesterday and found out they did NOT get the materials in they needed so now they are "stalling". They keep putting truck loads of gravel type almost a sandy rock mess and if it were not bad enough, rolling that down, and then if it is not wet from rain they come along and wet it. So, either it is WET AND MUDDY! OR it's dry and the dust flies everywhere!!! No one "SEES" that they are driving and kicking up mud, dust, rocks everywhere driving over it. I blame the city for that also, they should have SIGNS UP WARNING THESE IDIOTS NOT TO DRIVE FAST OVER IT.

Then they have "built up" the road so high (my property already has water that runs on it if it rains very much, because they have the other side of the road high enough, so all of the water runs to my side and into our ditches and under my carport, and my back yard looks like a landslide has happened. I know they can't help the rain BUT they dug out "some ditches" but like mine is full of water it needs to be dug out and the culvert is so old, it's bent down and won't allow water to run thru so now it's standing in water, causing mosquito's (but they gripe at us) for letting water stand if we have anything ti can stand in....

and now they are running I guess mice into my laundry room... and (suddenly I had the bars out just disappear 3 times now since this began) and then something (which could be a possum etc or a stray cat we have and so forth) run under my house and die! For the 3rd time in 2 weeks I woke up now to my laundry room with a stench worse than anything else you can imagine! I have every hole blocked, but they can weasel their way under anything if they are desperate! I am in the process of trying to type an email (I can barely type my left hand hurts so bad).. to the guy over this mess of a road they have made, and give him a piece of my mind... who is going to fix this mess, details our cars covered in dust and grime? Who is going to get that water out of those ditches... I hate to sound prejudice but I "live on the wrong side of town"... if I had a 500,000 dollar home, I bet it would be concreted, with a walkway, and they would have the water properly running out and away from the homes.... I am just so fed up. I pay MY TAXES ON TIME! Believe me if I didn't they would FINE ME 10 or 20%!!!! I should tell the city each day this is a mess they owe us on this road back a portion of the taxes we pay! Anyway, so keep me in your prayers... I NEED this hand well, so I can get this pacemaker in and go about my life... why is it that it is ALWAYS SOMETHING WITH ME?????"

I have to wonder if the pain in my hips that I still have after the injections, is not also something to do with this infection. both hips especially the right one still hurt. I was at the market on Monday, and when I was trying to finish up and get checked out, my right hip and side started to hurt. It scared the hell out of me. I came home with a LOAD of groceries, since they had my road so messed up I could NOT get out of my driveway all week last week! So, my groceries were in about 7 bags (the reusable ones) plus 4 gallons of water. I did not think I would ever make it in with it all, and get it put up.... but I managed.

I worry my RA and Lupus could be getting worse, or something else is going on, and they have not found it yet. My labs they did a couple of weeks ago when they found the infection, were really all messed up. My white blood cell count was at 15. But, there were other labs that were also really "off" that usually were not that bad, so I have to wonder.

Infectious arthritis? Has anyone ever been diagnosed with this????

THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!!

HAS ANYONE EVER BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH INFECTIOUS ARTHRITIS IN ANY JOINT ON THE BODY OR JOINTS????