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SELF/Drainage of Septic Arthritis/Technique Quiz

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▼Created by the West African College of Surgeons for the Surgical Education Learners Forum.Please see the Terms of Use and do not edit without permission.
Instructions

Work through each question carefully to choose the best answer, and submit the quiz to view your results. After completing the quiz, read through the answer explanations to review the reasoning behind both correct and incorrect options.

1

When placing a drain in a knee joint after arthrotomy, the depth of the intra-articular catheter tip should ideally lie:

In the mid–joint cavity, away from cartilage surfaces
Lined along the anterior capsule under tension
Just superficial to the synovial membrane
Against the posterior femoral condyle for maximal drainage

2

Which of the following is a valid indicator to remove a joint drain earlier than planned?

CRP remains mildly elevated above baseline
Sudden cessation of fluid output despite ongoing swelling
Persistent output > 50 mL/hour after 48 hours
Clear, low-volume (< 10 mL/day) serous fluid with no signs of infection

3

A 12-year-old patient’s knee arthrotomy shows multiloculated pus. You must decide on empiric antibiotic coverage pending cultures. Which regimen is most appropriate (no allergies)?

Empiric IV vancomycin plus a 3rd-generation cephalosporin
Oral cephalexin monotherapy
Empiric IV cefazolin only
Empiric IV clindamycin alone

4

During arthrotomy for septic arthritis of the knee, which surgical approach is recommended in the module?

Midline incision directly over the patella
Lateral approach through the fibular head
Medial parapatellar incision to allow good exposure and lavage
Posterior approach to access the popliteal fossa

5

Which principle regarding antibiotic timing reflects best practice after drainage of septic arthritis?

Begin broad-spectrum IV antibiotics before aspirating the joint in all cases
Wait for culture results before starting antibiotics
After joint aspiration, start empiric IV antibiotics promptly
Begin oral antibiotics immediately and switch to IV if no improvement


Page data
Keywords surgery, health
SDG SDG03 Good health and well-being
Authors Ian-laurel, SELF Tiger Team
License CC-BY-SA-4.0
Organizations WACS, SELF
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 0 pages link here
Redirects WACS Training Modules/Drainage of Septic Arthritis/Technique Quiz
Views 4 page views (analytics)
Created October 9, 2025 by KatKor
Last edit March 9, 2026 by Ian-laurel
Cite as KatKor (2025–2026). "SELF/Drainage of Septic Arthritis/Technique Quiz". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
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