title: Septic arthritis of the knee: presentation of a novel irrigation-suction system tested in a cadaver study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The established treatment for bacterial arthritis of the knee joint is arthroscopic surgery with irrigation and debridement. The aim of this article is to summarize the relevant data in treating bacterial arthritis of the knee joint, and based on these findings to present a novel irrigation suction system, tested in a cadaver study, as an additional tool in the postoperative treatment phase of arthroscopic surgery for knee joint infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  The novel automated irrigation-suction system presented here was compared to conventional continuous suction irrigation in a total of six knee joints. All knee joints were filled with 80 ml methylene blue stain and rinsed by two different methods. Fluid specimens were taken after ten and twenty minutes to be compared by photometric extinction measurement at a wave length of 500 nm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After ten minutes, the average extinction was e(1C) = 0.8 for the continuous suction irrigation and e(1N) = 0.4 for the novel irrigation-suction system. After twenty minutes, we recorded an average extinction of e(2C) = 0.3 for continuous suction irrigation and e(2N) = 0.001 for the novel irrigation-suction system. The students t-test revealed superior results after ten and twenty minutes of washing out the knee joints with a p < 0.001 for the novel irrigation-suction system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel irrigation-suction system may be an effective tool for postoperative knee joint irrigation in arthroscopic therapy for bacterial arthritis of the knee. Further animal studies are needed to verify the effects in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology and Reconstructive Surgery, BG-Trauma and Medical Centre Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Schnarrenbergstr. 95, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Atesch
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ateschrang
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schröter
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hirt
authors.forename: Kuno
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weise
authors.forename: Jürgen H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Dolderer
mesh_terms: D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy*; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002102:Cadaver; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D008751:Methylene Blue