Case 3

A 19 y/o male presents to the Emergency Department with a swollen and painful left knee joint. The patient describes an acute onset shortly after a minor trauma and has a history of similar presentations.

At triage the patient presents a registration card for a specialist service which he attends in Saint James’s Hospital.

On examination the patient has a HR of 102, BP of 120/76, SpO2 of 98% RA and is afebrile.

The knee is diffusely swollen in comparison to the right . His range of movement is markedly reduced in flexion and extension and the joint feels boggy on palpation.

Question 1

What underlying condition does this patient suffer from?

Question 2

What complication of this disease is this patient experiencing?

Question 3

What other differential diagnoses must be considered?

Question 4

What is the most urgent treatment required?