Diagnosis
How We Can Help You for Infectious Arthritis
Our board-certified specialists have the advanced training and extensive experience needed to accurately diagnose and effectively treat infectious arthritis. In this condition, bacteria, a fungus, or a virus infects one or more joints.
Our team members work together closely to develop a complete care plan customized to your condition and unique needs. The goal of the plan is to help relieve your symptoms, which may include pain, swelling, and flu-like symptoms such as chills and fever.
In addition, your care plan is designed to help improve your health and quality of life, so you can return to the most active lifestyle possible.
Stanford patients with infectious arthritis also may have opportunities to participate in research studies of new treatment approaches not yet available anywhere else.
What We Offer You for Infectious Arthritis
- Center of Excellence for advanced care of infectious arthritis, other types of arthritis, and the full range of other orthopaedic conditions.
- Nationally recognized expertise in treating all cases of infectious arthritis, no matter how complex.
- Precise diagnosis including a thorough medical history and physical exam plus lab tests and state-of-the-art imaging tests.
- Team-based treatment planning that brings together arthritis specialists, pain management specialists, physical therapists, and others to tailor care to your needs.
- Advanced treatment options emphasizing noninvasive approaches whenever possible, including medication therapy, physical therapy, and, when needed, surgery.
- Comprehensive support services including care coordination from diagnosis to treatment to follow-up.
- Active research program to develop new diagnostic and treatment advances for the management of infectious arthritis.
Treatment for Infectious Arthritis
Infectious arthritis, also known as septic arthritis, refers to a joint infection. Typically, bacteria cause the infection, but sometimes a fungus or virus can trigger the condition.
Infectious arthritis causes pain, swelling, and flu-like symptoms, such as chills and fever. Without timely treatment, infectious arthritis causes permanent damage to joints and bones—and in serious cases, the condition can become life-threatening.
Stanford’s experienced team expertly diagnoses and treats infectious arthritis. Our orthopaedists and rheumatologists offer nonsurgical and surgical options to treat the infection and relieve your symptoms. We’ll recommend the most appropriate treatment based on the cause and severity of your condition.
Stanford’s highly trained orthopaedic and rheumatology specialists expertly diagnose and treat all types of infectious or septic arthritis.
Medication
Joint Aspiration and Surgery
Splinting and Physical Therapy
We offer medications to target the various sources of infectious arthritis:
- Bacterial: You’ll receive high doses of antibiotics, usually through a vein in your arm. You may be able to switch to oral antibiotics later. This treatment typically lasts from two to six weeks.
- Fungal: Your doctor will prescribe anti-fungal medication, which you may need to take for several months. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove the infected tissue.
- Viral: The infection will most likely clear up on its own, without treatment. However, viral infections still require proper diagnosis to reduce the risk of complications from infectious arthritis.
In addition to treating the infection with medication, we may need to remove fluid build-up from your joint to prevent damage. We provide:
- Arthrocentesis: Your doctor inserts a fine needle into the joint and drains the excess fluid in this procedure, also called joint aspiration.
- Arthroscopic surgery: We may recommend arthroscopic surgery if the infected joint is difficult to aspirate with a needle. After making a small incision, your doctor inserts an arthroscope, a pencil-sized device with a camera lens. The arthroscope projects an image of your joint onto a screen, so we can see the joint and remove excess fluid.
- Debridement: If you have chronic or advanced infections in your bones or joints, we may perform debridement (surgery to remove infected tissue).
We also offer treatments to strengthen joints and muscles affected by infectious arthritis:
- Splints: Early in your treatment, we may use a splint to keep your joint stable and reduce your pain.
- Physical therapy: Our therapists can teach you exercises to strengthen your muscles, preventing stiffness and permanent loss of function.
We offer medications to target the various sources of infectious arthritis:
- Bacterial: You’ll receive high doses of antibiotics, usually through a vein in your arm. You may be able to switch to oral antibiotics later. This treatment typically lasts from two to six weeks.
- Fungal: Your doctor will prescribe anti-fungal medication, which you may need to take for several months. In some cases, you may need surgery to remove the infected tissue.
- Viral: The infection will most likely clear up on its own, without treatment. However, viral infections still require proper diagnosis to reduce the risk of complications from infectious arthritis.
close Medication
In addition to treating the infection with medication, we may need to remove fluid build-up from your joint to prevent damage. We provide:
- Arthrocentesis: Your doctor inserts a fine needle into the joint and drains the excess fluid in this procedure, also called joint aspiration.
- Arthroscopic surgery: We may recommend arthroscopic surgery if the infected joint is difficult to aspirate with a needle. After making a small incision, your doctor inserts an arthroscope, a pencil-sized device with a camera lens. The arthroscope projects an image of your joint onto a screen, so we can see the joint and remove excess fluid.
- Debridement: If you have chronic or advanced infections in your bones or joints, we may perform debridement (surgery to remove infected tissue).
close Joint Aspiration and Surgery
We also offer treatments to strengthen joints and muscles affected by infectious arthritis:
- Splints: Early in your treatment, we may use a splint to keep your joint stable and reduce your pain.
- Physical therapy: Our therapists can teach you exercises to strengthen your muscles, preventing stiffness and permanent loss of function.
close Splinting and Physical Therapy
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may be eligible to participate in open clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies that are currently recruiting participants or that may recruit participants in the near future. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but similar studies may open in the future.
To learn more about the clinical trials we offer, contact [CT Coordinator Name] at [XXX-XXX-XXXX].