Musculoskeletal Key

Osteonecrosis John H. Healey Andrea Piccioli Osteonecrosis (ON) is defined as the death in situ of a segment of bone. Avascular necrosis (AVN), aseptic necrosis, and bone infarction are terms…

Rheumatic Fever Allan Gibofsky John B. Zabriskie KEY POINTS Acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is a systemic rheumatic disease that occurs in a genetically susceptible individual following streptococcal pharyngitis. The streptococcal…

Whipple’s Disease Stephen A. Paget Kristina Belostocki KEY POINTS Whipple’s disease (WD) is a rare multisystem syndrome caused by the gram-positive actinomycete Tropheryma whippelii. The clinical manifestations of WD include…

Osteomyelitis Juliet Aizer Barry D. Brause KEY POINTS The diagnosis of osteomyelitis is dependent upon understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the three routes of infection: hematogenous osteomyelitis, introduced infection,…

Lyme Disease Anne R. Bass Steven K. Magid KEY POINTS Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. In endemic areas, B. burgdorferi is transmitted by the bite of…

Infectious Arthritis Barry D. Brause Juliet Aizer KEY POINTS Septic arthritis should be diagnosed and appropriately treated with urgency to reduce the risk of permanent loss of joint function. The…

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Edward Parrish INTRODUCTION A number of musculoskeletal complaints and inflammatory phenomena develop in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These patients are exposed to a…

Gout Theodore R. Fields KEY POINTS Making a crystal diagnosis of gout is always ideal, especially because of the possible need for lifelong therapy. Although “minor criteria” for gout exist,…

Pseudogout (Calcium Pyrophosphate Dihydrate Crystal Arthropathy) Theodore R. Fields KEY POINTS Crystal analysis is the gold standard for the diagnosis of pseudogout and should be sought whenever possible; chondrocalcinosis on…

Reactive Arthritis Robert D. Inman KEY POINTS In arthritis occurring after a recent infection, the first priority is to rule out a septic process in the joint. The prognosis is…