Today, a lot of people of all age categories face joint problems. There are a huge number of diseases that can be associated with metabolic disorders, the presence of inflammation, as well as mechanical damage and tumor formations. In this article, we will consider what is the puncture of joints, learn about the technique of its implementation and all the difficulties of the procedure. Puncture helps the specialist establish an accurate diagnosis and prescribe the right treatment, so this procedure is very important.
Joint puncture: types
A lot of people are afraid of the very word “puncture” and in every possible way try to avoid this procedure. However, you definitely should not be afraid of it. During its implementation, the joint is pierced with a needle, and this is done either for diagnostic or for therapeutic purposes.
If a specialist said that you need to study the joint fluid, then this suggests that you will have to agree to a procedure such as joint puncture. With the help of such a study, it can be established that there is blood in the joint fluid, specific bodies of a protein nature, various infectious pathogens, as well as tumor cells. Joint fluid will be studied using a large number of laboratory tests. Doctors usually perform this procedure before the prosthetics process or arthroscopy.
Also, puncture of the joints can be carried out for therapeutic purposes. In this case, a pathogenic liquid will be pumped out of the joint itself. For example, pus, blood, and inflammatory exudate may be removed. Also, medications can be injected into the joint area. Usually, specialists use antibiotics, steroid hormones and anti-inflammatory drugs.
The main indications for the procedure
Puncture of the knee joint is prescribed by doctors very often. Consider the most basic cases when this procedure is necessary:
- Acute inflammatory processes in the joint itself with accumulating fluid, as well as the presence of pus.
- In the presence of chronic inflammatory processes in the joint. In this case, the puncture can have both diagnostic and therapeutic effects.
- Puncture of the knee joint can be performed if the patient received a mechanical injury, and as a result, fluid began to accumulate in the joint.
- The procedure can be carried out with allergic lesions of the joints and the presence of other dangerous diseases, for example, tuberculosis, lupus, rheumatism and brucellosis.
- Doctors must use a needle for the joint before conducting a planned operation on it.
Experts strongly recommend that you do not ignore such a procedure as puncture of the elbow joint, because very often it can help establish the most correct diagnosis.
Joint puncture: technique
Thanks to modern technology and highly qualified doctors, such a procedure can be performed on almost any joint in the human body. Most often, this operation is carried out on the elbow, knee, in the hip area, as well as on the shoulder and ankle.
This procedure will be carried out by an experienced specialist in the field of orthopedics and traumatology. The doctor will be well versed in the structure of joints, bones, muscles and nerves, so he will not harm the vital parts of the human body.
Puncture of the hip joint, as well as other compounds, is carried out very carefully. On each joint, the safest point is selected. For example, if the procedure is carried out on the ankle, then an injection will be made into its outer surface. If on the knee, then the specialist will make an injection in the area of the front-inner surface.
This procedure is very similar to a bone marrow surgery. The doctor will follow all the rules of sterility, so you can not worry about infection. First, a specialist will treat the surface of the skin with antibacterial agents. Then you will be given anesthesia to help eliminate the pain. Within a couple of minutes after the onset of anesthesia, the doctor will begin the main part of the procedure. To do this, he will take a thicker needle than with the introduction of an anesthetic, and will puncture the joint. With the help of a wide needle, various substances having a viscous structure can be removed from it. After this, the needle is pulled out, and the damaged area is hidden under an antibacterial dressing.
So the puncture of the joints is carried out. The technique for small and large joints has no special differences. However, the procedure for the hip joint is carried out under the supervision of ultrasound. This is done in order to eliminate the risk of damage to the ligaments and bones.
Are there any complications after the procedure?
The technique of puncture of the knee joint in very rare cases can lead to negative consequences. However, this occurs only in 0.1 percent of all cases. But still it is worth familiarizing yourself with all kinds of complications that can develop when taking joint fluid:
- various anatomical structures can sometimes be damaged, for example, cartilage, bones, nerves or muscles;
- very rarely there is hemorrhage in the cavity of the joint itself;
- infectious microorganisms leak even more rarely into the joint, due to which purulent inflammation may appear.
In what cases can not be performed?
Joint puncture (the technique is described in detail in this article) is not shown to patients in all cases. The doctor must take into account the individual characteristics of the person, because in some cases, the procedure is still not recommended.
So, it is worth refusing to perform a puncture if the patient has large wounds, burns, inflammations or boils on the skin. In this case, there is a high probability that infection may occur during the procedure.
Also, puncture is contraindicated in the presence of deformations in the joint itself. It can be motionless or change its shape. In this case, there is a risk of bone injury.
Also, it is impossible to carry out the procedure for a patient who has had poor blood clotting, because this can lead to hemarthrosis.
Carrying out complex punctures
Complex punctures that are performed in the spine are considered difficult. In this case, the needle will be inserted into the lumbar region, between the vertebrae. Thanks to such manipulations, you can detect the presence of a large number of diseases in the body. For example, various fungal infections, syphilis, hemorrhages, cancer of the brain or spinal cord, paralysis, various disorders of the nervous system, as well as multiple sclerosis, the presence of an intervertebral hernia, and many other dangerous pathologies.
How is this procedure carried out?
Usually, when performing a puncture in the lumbar region, the patient is in a supine position. However, such an operation can be carried out while sitting. Typically, piercing is done between the third and fourth vertebrae or between the fourth and fifth. In this case, the spinal cord will not be damaged. The skin of the patient will be treated with an antiseptic solution, and local anesthesia will be done using a very thin needle.
In fact, such a procedure is considered very complex, so it is not always possible to carry out it the first time.
What to do after a puncture?
Quite often, patients meet with a disease such as bursitis of the elbow joint. Puncture in this case should be carried out without fail. After carrying out this procedure on the elbow, as well as on any other joint, it is very important to follow all the safety recommendations that your doctor will give. In the first two days after the procedure, in no case do not remove the bandage, and do not wet the damaged skin and do not apply compresses to it. This can lead to a serious infection in the joint, which will not be easy to get rid of.
Elbow bursitis, a puncture in which will be necessarily performed by a qualified doctor, is treated with antibiotics. As a rule, they are introduced into the area of the joint itself. Be prepared for the appearance of severe pain after the end of the anesthesia. However, they will disappear within a couple of days after the procedure.
Also, many patients noticed that the joint begins to swell. Do not worry, this happens. During the recovery period after a puncture, try to limit motor activity, as well as protect the joint from external environmental influences.
Also, a specialist can prescribe you special drugs that will help relieve pain and eliminate inflammation.
conclusions
Joint puncture is a very important procedure that has a diagnostic and therapeutic purpose. Therefore, if your doctor has prescribed it for you, in no case do not refuse it. After all, with its help you can make an accurate diagnosis and choose the right treatment.
Take care of your health today. Consult a doctor and approach treatment with all responsibility.