Risk Factors for Failure to Eradicate Infection after Single Arthroscopic Debridement in Septic Arthritis of a Native Knee Joint.

Purpose: To identify the risk factors and effect of empirical glycopeptide on the failure of single arthroscopic debridement for septic knee arthritis in a native knee joint.

Materials and methods: Patients who underwent arthroscopic debridement for septic knee arthritis from March 2005 to December 2022 at one institution were included in this study. Demographic data, comorbidities, preoperative factors including history of previous surgery, history of injection, laboratory data including preoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) count, isolated pathogens from synovial fluid culture, and Gachter stage were analyzed. Statistical analyses using univariate and logistic regression were performed.

Results: Out of 132 patients, 17 patients (12.9%) had more than one additional arthroscopic debridement. History of diabetes mellitus (DM) (p<0.001), previous injection (p=0.041), isolated Staphylococcus aureus in synovial fluid (p=0.010), and high Gachter stage (p=0.002) were identified as risk factors, whereas age, history of previous knee surgery at the affected knee, CRP level, preoperative WBC, and preoperative neutrophil count of synovial fluid had no significant relation. Logistic regression analysis showed significant increase of risk in patients with DM [odds ratio (OR) 12.002, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.243-44.418, p<0.001], previous injection history (OR 4.812, 95% CI 1.367-16.939, p=0.017), and isolation of Staphylococcus aureus in synovial fluid (OR 4.804, 95% CI 1.282-18.001, p=0.031) as independent risk factors for failure of infection eradication after single arthroscopic debridement.

Conclusion: Comorbidity of DM, history of previous injection, isolated Staphylococcus aureus in synovial fluid, and high Gachter stage were associated with a higher risk of failure to eradicate infection with a single arthroscopic procedure. Empirical glycopeptide administration also showed no significant benefit in reducing the risk of additional surgical procedures for infection control, suggesting against the routine administration of glycopeptide.