Treatment of septic arthritis
The following treatments are used for septic arthritis: Surgery: Removal of the inflamed tissue (surgical debridement) and IV (intravenous) antibiotics are necessary in most cases. Antibiotics: All cases of septic arthritis need to be treated with antibiotics. Your healthcare provider may give you antibiotics through an IV and/or in pill form. Joint fluid drainage: Your provider may drain (aspirate) fluid from your joint using a fine needle. They may have to do this more than once as you recover. Physical therapy: You will likely need physical therapy to restore function in your joint and prevent the muscles around your joint from weakening. Removal of an artificial joint: If you get septic arthritis in an artificial (prosthetic) joint, you will likely have to have your artificial joint removed and replaced with a joint spacer, a device made of antibiotic cement. After several months, your healthcare provider will replace your artificial joint.