ACUTE MONOARTHRITIS - A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT

A basic approach to the patient presenting with acute monoarthritis in cludes a careful history, a physical examination and a selected batter y of laboratory tests and radiographs. Because of the possibility of s eptic joint, rapid assessment and treatment are required. The most com mon causes of acute monoarthritis are trauma, crystals (gout and pseud ogout) and infection. The most important cause of acute monoarthritis is infection, which must be excluded through the use of diagnostic joi nt aspiration and culture of synovial fluid.