Synonym: hot swollen joint
Patients presenting with a single painful and/or inflamed joint (without history of trauma) require thorough and rapid assessment. The principal diagnosis to consider is septic arthritis, as a failure rapidly to diagnose this condition can lead to irreversible severe joint damage in a very short time. Where there is any question of this diagnosis, immediate inpatient assessment and management are the safest course.1 2
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/orthopaedics/acute-monoarthritis