Benign coxalgia or septic arthritis?

Key words: Limp, Painful hip, Septic arthritis, Transient synovitis, Diagnosis

Children with a painful hip present a diagnostic challenge since clinical differentiation between septic arthritis and transient synovitis may be difficult. Septic arthritis, a potentially life-threatening and debilitating medical emergency, requires early recognition for successful treatment, while transient synovitis may be managed conservatively. The “Kocher criteria” have proven to be helpful in making the distinction between these two conditions. The paper reports the cases of two girls aged 19 and 24 months with a final diagnosis of septic hip arthritis and discusses the difficult diagnostic process that led to the diagnosis