Surgical Management of a Sternoclavicular Septic Arthritis with Infraclavicular Abscess: A Case Report

Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular (SC) joint is an uncommon disease with some risk factors. Because of being rare and insidious, a diagnosis could probably be difficult, delayed, or even missed until complications occur, resulting in severe and life-threatening outcomes. It should be noted that early recognition and diagnosis, followed by immediate treatment, play an essential role in the patient’s prognosis. Septic arthritis of the SC joint is a relatively infrequent infection. Clinical symptoms are mostly sudden, and from days to months, the patients may have pain in the chest, shoulder, or neck, limited movement in the upper extremities, and fever.

We report a patient without predisposing factors who developed septic SC arthritis with infraclavicular abscess and was rapidly treated with partial clavicular resection

Diagnosis of septic arthritis in the SC region is often deferred. Early diagnosis allows more accessible medical or surgical treatment and a significant prognosis.