Sequelae from septic arthritis of the knee during the first two years of life.

Fifty septic knees in patients younger than 2 years old at diagnosis were examined. Follow-up ranged from 1.1 to 21.3 years (average, 6.2). Twenty-four knees were deformed in varus or valgus of 5-40 degrees. Deformity was present within 10 months of infection and thereafter was stable. It was due to displacement of the epiphysis into a metaphyseal defect, loss of epiphyseal cartilage, or both. Growth did not compensate for deformity. Ossific nuclei partly or completely disappeared after infection. They were slow to reappear, and until maturity, their size and shape did not represent the cartilaginous epiphysis. Arthrograms were necessary to evaluate accurately the epiphyseal shape and volume.