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Journal of Medical Case Reports

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Open Access 01-12-2022 | Antibiotic | Case report

Nonsurgical management of Fusobacterium necrophorum sternoclavicular septic arthritis: a case report

Authors: SangMin Kim, Ruhi Kanwar, M. Blair Marshall

Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2022

Abstract

Background

To date, the gold-standard treatment for sternoclavicular septic arthritis has been surgery due to the high failure and complication rates of medical treatment. In particular, presentation of Fusobacterium sternoclavicular septic arthritis has been rarely reported and very sparsely investigated, and only one other case report of septic arthritis caused by this pathogen exists in literature.

Case presentation

We report a case of an otherwise healthy 38-year-old Caucasian woman who presented with sternoclavicular septic arthritis as a complication of Fusobacterium necrophorum mediastinitis. Our patient underwent successful management through nonstandard, conservative treatment of 7 weeks of intravenous piperacillin + tazobactam followed by 6 weeks of oral amoxicillin + clavulanic acid.

Conclusion

We highlight a case of the rare presentation of Fusobacterium necrophorum sternoclavicular septic arthritis that did not require surgical intervention for successful management. Though infection of the sternoclavicular joint is unusual, it continues to be seen in thoracic surgery, and there are increasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant organisms. This case broadens insight into the clinical course and treatment of such conditions. The success of conservative management in this case aligns with the similar nonsurgical course of the one previous report of Fusobacterium sternoclavicular septic arthritis occurrence. Thus, further discussion and thought for reevaluating the current standard practice of surgery for sternoclavicular joint infection is suggested. Our case supports assessing a patient’s overall health, causative organism, and extent of infection in interventional course and taking the feasibility of conservative management into more weighted consideration.

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Title: Nonsurgical management of Fusobacterium necrophorum sternoclavicular septic arthritis: a case report
Authors: SangMin Kim
Ruhi Kanwar
M. Blair Marshall
Publication date: 01-12-2022
Publisher: BioMed Central
Keywords: Antibiotic
Piperacillin
Amoxicillin
Pyarthrosis
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports / Issue 1/2022
Electronic ISSN: 1752-1947
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-022-03316-8

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Nonsurgical management of Fusobacterium necrophorum sternoclavicular septic arthritis: a case report

Abstract

Background

Case presentation

Conclusion

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Case presentation

Conclusion

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