ABSTRACT

Acute osteoarthritis is a serious, hematogenously spread pyogenic infection of bone and joint which is rarely encountered in newborn period and often develops secondary to invasive procedures. As in many diseases seen in neonatal period, its diagnosis may be difficult and delayed because of nonspecific signs and symptoms. Poor prognosis is related to permanent sequelae in cases with delayed diagnosis and treatment. In this case report, 15 days old newborn with acute osteoarthritis on shoulder is presented with clinical, laboratory and radiologic features of the disease along with current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Soft tissue edema and movement restriction detected in neonatal period should be evaluated for osteoarthritis and treated quickly and effectively especially in patients with history of hospitalization. The main goal should be minimizing the possibility of sequelae with early surgical drainage and proper antibiotherapy against infectious agent with a multidisciplinary approach.