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First Case of Lyme Arthritis Documented in Prosthetic Knee

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Posted 6/14/2016 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/58192

MEDPAGE TODAY
-WAYNE KUZNAR

EXCERPT:
"Symptoms started 10 months after joint arthroplasty

The first case of Lyme disease-related prosthetic joint infection and arthritis has been described in the literature.
The affected patient had resolution of symptoms with antimicrobial therapy, highlighting how "early prompt diagnosis and adequate antimicrobial therapy may obviate the need for additional aggressive orthopedic surgical intervention," wrote William F. Wright, DO, MPH, at Memorial Medical Center in York, Pa., and James A. Oliverio, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Camp Hill, Pa."
Posted 6/14/2016 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Now that would tick you off! Pardon the pun. But its bad enough you had to have the joint fixed in the first place and then to get Lyme in it?
Posted 6/15/2016 12:55 AM (GMT 0)
At this point, not testing localized "arthritis" is grounds to be sued. Kinda like the poor woman whose uterine transplant failed because the surgeons failed to put her on antifungals w/ abx after the procedure.

-p
Posted 6/15/2016 7:59 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not sure that testing localized arthritis would be beneficial. The case mentioned in the article was highly irregular. The c-reactive protein was positive, all 10 bands on a Western Blot were positive, and the PCR'd the synovial exudate (was positive for Borrelia) and that rarely happens. I'm glad they found Borrelia, but for 95% or more of us, they wouldn't have come to that conclusion. Borrelia and other pathogens are causing the arthritis, our medical system just isn't ready and they don't want to find them.
Posted 6/15/2016 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
GH -
I agree. What I mean is a localized arthritic problem should trigger suspicion of more than just arthritis, in comparison to someone who has arthritis in both hands, both knees, family history, etc. So a localized problem likely has other lyme symptoms if you look for them and should trigger a general lyme "investigation" like in any other possible lyme case--not necessarily testing the knee tissues...

...before, you know, ripping the person open and replacing body parts... ;)

-p
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