When should arthrocentesis be performed?
Undoubtedly, the single most important reason to perform arthrocentesis is to check for joint infection. Timely identification and treatment of a patient with septic arthritis is of paramount importance to a favorable clinical outcome. Furthermore, arthrocentesis is generally indicated to gain diagnostic information through synovial fluid analysis in the patient with a monoarticular or polyarticular arthropathy of unclear etiology characterized by joint pain and swelling.
