A 40-year-old man presents with a painful, hot, swollen right knee that became acutely painful overnight. He has a fever of 38.2°C and is unable to be...

Question

A 40-year-old man presents with a painful, hot, swollen right knee that became acutely painful overnight. He has a fever of 38.2°C and is unable to bear weight. There is no history of trauma. What is the most appropriate next step in management?

Accepted Answer

Perform urgent joint aspiration and send synovial fluid for microscopy, culture and crystal analysis

Answer

Start NSAIDs and arrange routine rheumatology review

Answer

Order a plain X-ray and review in 1 week

Answer

Start allopurinol immediately

Answer

Give oral antibiotics without aspiration

uk-plab-1 MCQ (SBA): Acute monoarthritis – septic arthritis

A 40-year-old man presents with a painful, hot, swollen right knee that became acutely painful overnight. He has a fever of 38.2°C and is unable to bear weight. There is no history of trauma. What is the most appropriate next step in management?