Septic arthritis of the shoulder during the first 18 months of life.

Forty-six septic shoulders in 42 patients < 18 months old at diagnosis were followed for an average of 6 +/- 10 years. Eight were not diagnosed at the time of infection. Five patients complained of intermittent, mild pain with use. All could touch their mouth and back of their head with the hand on their affected side. Flexion and abduction averaged 150 degrees; internal and external rotation averaged 60 degrees. Nineteen percent of the shoulders had < 130 degrees of flexion. Discrepancy in humeral length was 0-9 cm (average 2.4 cm). Only 7% of the humeral heads were entirely normal. The shapes of the remainder were quite variable, and range of motion could not be predicted from these shapes.