Seven cases of septic arthritis of the hip joint in infancy and childhood were examined from March 1999 to September 2001. Arthrotomy was performed on all patients after diagnosis had been established by joint aspiration. One patient on whom arthrotomy was performed 21 days from onset had fair results with radiological evidence of the developmental disorder of the femoral head. One patient on whom arthrotomy was performed only 2 days from onset had fair results with radiological evidence of the developmental disorder and subluxation of the femoral head because of recurrence on two occasions.
We recommend immediate diagnostic joint aspiration for all cases with suspected septic arthritis of the hip joint, and emergency arthrotomy should be performed as soon as septic arthritis is diagnosed.
