Of thirty-seven children treated at the Mayo Clinic for suppurative
arthritis of the hip and followed for at least one year (average, 8.3
years), nineteen had a satisfactory result and eighteen, an unsatisfactory
result. An analysis of the records of the thirty-seven children revealed
the following: (1) duration of symptoms was the most important prognostic
feature, there being no unsatisfactory results if treatment was instituted
less than four days after onset of symptoms; (2) fourteen of sixteen
patients with associated osteomyelitis and six of eight with so-called
penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus had unsatisfactory results; (3)
if symptoms had been present for more than ten days or if there was
osteomyelitis, at least two weeks of parenteral antibiotics with arthrotomy
and continuous irrigation offered the best prognosis; and (4) the prognosis
has improved in recent years, possibly due to a move vigorous policy of
early arthrotomy.