Pediatric septic arthritis with pericardial and pleural effusions for emergency drainage - Case Report

Sepsis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in pediatric age group, mainly because of hemodynamic compromise and multi-organ dysfunction. Septic patients have impaired tissue perfusion, threatening functions of vital organs and situation becomes more challenging if the child has concomitant pericardial and pleural effusions. Anesthesiologists are involved in preoperative resuscitation with judicious use of fluids, vasopressors and inotropes and timely administration of appropriate intravenous antibiotics. Perioperative management requires careful selection of induction and maintenance anesthesia agents, optimizing intravascular volume status, avoiding any lung injury during mechanical ventilation, monitoring investigations and post-operative management of patients in post- anesthesia care unit (PACU) or intensive care unit (ICU). We report successful management of a five year old boy with sepsis with moderate pericardial and pleural effusions for emergency hip joint aspiration and drainage, to the best of our knowledge there is no previously reported case in literature.