Septic Arthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint in a 6-year-old Boy: A Case Report

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59667/sjoranm.v21i1.16

Keywords:

Septic arthritis, temporomandibular joint, pediatric, ultrasound, CT, MRI

Abstract

Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an uncommon condition, particularly in pediatric patients. We present a case of a previously healthy 6-year-old boy with septic arthritis of the TMJ and extra-articular involvement. An extended course of intravenous antibiotic therapy led to complete resolution of the TMJ and periarticular inflammation on follow-up imaging.

Author Biographies

  • Irena Ivković, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    MD, PhD, Otorhinolaryngology specialist

    Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

  • Martina Bukovac, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    MD, Radiology specialist

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

  • Marin Štefančić, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    MD, Radiology specialist

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

  • Andrijana Jović, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    MD, PhD, Neuroradiology specialist

    Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

References

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2) Omiunu A, Talmor G, Nguyen B, Vakil M, Barinsky GL, Paskhover B. Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint: a systematic review. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2021;79(6):1214–1229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joms.2021.01.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joms.2021.01.004

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4) Cohen Atsmoni S, Hennedige A, Richardson D, De S. Pediatric temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis, an elusive complication of acute mastoiditis. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2022 Jul;158:111163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2022.111163 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2022.111163

5) Oliveira J, Mesquita M, Correia S, et al. The importance of early diagnosis and treatment in septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint: a case report. Cureus. 2024;16(7):e64480. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.64480 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.64480

6) Castellazzi ML, Senatore L, Di Pietro G, Pinzani R, Torretta S, Coro I, et al. Otogenic temporomandibular septic arthritis in a child: a case report and a review of the literature. Ital J Pediatr. 2019;45(1):88. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-019-0682-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13052-019-0682-2

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8) Araidy S, Maalouf N, Front E, Abu El-Naaj I. Septic arthritis of the temporomandibular joint–a case report and review of the literature. Front Oral Health. 2025; 5:1496094. https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2024.1496094 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2024.1496094

SJORANM article cover, Vol. 21 No. 1 (2025). Holographic symbolic illustration for article 70.

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Published

2025-07-31

Data Availability Statement

Not applicable.

Issue

Vol. 21 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Case reports

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Irena Ivković, Martina Bukovac, Marin Štefančić, Andrijana Jović

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, even for commercial purposes.

How to Cite

Ivković, I., Bukovac, M., Štefančić, M., & Jović, A. (2025). Septic Arthritis of the Temporomandibular Joint in a 6-year-old Boy: A Case Report. Swiss Journal of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, 21(1), 12-18. https://doi.org/10.59667/sjoranm.v21i1.16

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