Project Overview

Septic arthritis of the hip is a pediatric orthopedic emergency. Failure to accurately diagnose and treat the condition in a timely manner can lead to lifelong disability and pain. Most commonly this infection involves children under the age of two years old. The optimal care for these children involves timely diagnosis and treatment, including appropriate antibiotic coverage and surgical treatment. While vital signs, clinical exam, and blood tests can aid in making an accurate diagnosis, joint fluid obtained from X-ray or ultrasound (US) guidance, is critical in confirming the diagnosis. At many centers, hip aspiration greatly relies on the availability of fellowship trained MSK or pediatric radiologists to aspirate fluid from the hip joint. When they are unavailable, the child often has ideal treatment delayed, until the diagnostic procedure can be performed. This often occurs despite the ACGME surgical proficiency in hip joint aspiration and debridement. Due to the relatively low frequency of this disorder, and yet the high clinical importance of accurate diagnosis, orthopedic and radiology residents get very little hands-on experience practicing and performing these procedures. Currently there are no commercially available simulation models that would allow residents to practice X-ray and US guided hip aspiration in the infant. The goal of this project is to develop an effective infant hip model that will allow residents to practice guided hip aspiration.

Team Picture

Contact Information

Team Members

• Alyssa Acker - Team Leader
• Conor Sullivan - Communicator
• Emily Olszewski - BSAC
• Brandon Li - BWIG
• Molly Scott - BPAG

Advisor and Client

• Dr. Ed Bersu - Advisor
• Dr. Matthew Halanski - Client

Related Projects

• Fall 2016: Hip aspirate model to teach physicians
• Spring 2016: Hip aspirate model to teach physicians
• Fall 2014: Hip aspirate model to teach physicians