Arthrocenitis- What medications are given?

[1fastRN]

How is this procedure normally done?

Numb+clean the site, aspirate fluid, and then what medications are usually utilized?

Do they inject solumedrol into the joint space?

One of my teammates just had the procedure done and was asking me a million questions, from what she explained, it sounded like something like solumedrol or another steroid.

Any info ?

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

i had an MRI arthrogram with 40mg of Kenalog added to contrast dye. Would think they would use systemic abt prophylactically for infection (?)

[dianah, ASN]

This site might be helpful: Joint Aspiration (Arthrocentesis) Information, Analysis and Complications - MedicineNet

We are unable to dispense medical advice, sorry.

Do an internet search (not Wikipedia ) or ask your PCP. :)

[cjcalimer]

It completely depends on the rationale for the procedure. If it's just to extract synovial fluid for testing (tapping the joint), then nothing is typically injected. Steroids would be contraindicated if infection was suspected. If it is for pain relief, steroids are typically injected. I've personally only seen betamethasone and kenalog used. Not sure if you could use solumedrol or not. The office I worked at typically did a 50/50 mixture of betamethasone and bupivicain. You could also inject a hylaronic acid type medication (chicken shots) for arthritis.

As far as prep, clean the site and then it's a wild care again depending on procedure and joint and provider. Some will use cold spray first to numb, sometimes a numbing agent is injected locally. The surgeon I worked with would hold firm pressure to the area for about 30 seconds and then inject without any sort of numbing first as he said there wasn't enough time for the action potentials to regenerate and create pain that way.

I'm not really sure about how it goes for imaging though as this experience was all in a sports medicine practice/inpatient orthopaedics.