Septic arthritis of the TMJ: a case report

ABSTRACT Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an uncommon condition; thus, reports in the specialized literature are still scarce. The TMJ may be affected by extension of a local infectious process, by post-traumatic hematoma, or secondarily, by hematogenous spread. Septic arthritis is more common in the large joints, with the knee and hip most frequently affected. It is characterized by insidious onset and a marked inflammatory process, and is monoarticular in 80% of cases. The present report describes the case of a 6-year-old boy with a history of rheumatoid arthritis who presented with pain, swelling, and redness in the right TMJ region, as well as limited jaw opening, closure, and lateral excursion bilaterally. The differential diagnosis and treatment of this rare clinical entity are described. Aspects concerning antibiotic therapy and imaging studies are also addressed.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	MORAIS,Hécio Henrique Araújo de, PEIXOTO,Tony Santos, BARBALHO,Jimmy Charles, DIAS,Tasiana Guedes de Sousa, VASCONCELLOS,Ricardo José de Holanda, LUCENA,Eudes Euler de Souza
Format:	Digital revista
Language:	English
Published:	Faculdade São Leopoldo Mandic 2016
Online Access:	http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1981-86372016000200193
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!