[Management of septic arthritis].

Native joint septic arthritis is a medical emergency requiring urgent joint drainage and antibiotic therapy. In the absence of an artificial joint or a foreign body, the « rheumatological approach » with repetitive arthrocentesis yields similar outcomes in the literature when compared to surgical drainage. Arthrocentesis could therefore be viewed as the preferential method of joint drainage as it is associated both with reduced morbidity for patients and decreased costs for the healthcare system. In case of failure with arthrocentesis, surgical arthroscopic drainage becomes necessary. In addition, the prescription of systemic steroids is promising but requires further studies, especially in adult patient populations.