Question:

Tom Smith septic arthritis refers to:

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Eponym for pyogenic septic arthritis of the infant hip.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • Acute gonococcal arthritis
  • Smallpox arthritis
  • Septic arthritis of infancy
  • Chronic pyogenic arthritis
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Tom Smith septic arthritis is the eponym for septic arthritis of infancy, a pyogenic infection of the hip joint occurring in infants.
Step 2: Its onset is acute with rapid abscess formation that may burst spontaneously or be incised, after which it heals quickly but leaves the hip damaged. The telescope test is positive and the deformity clinically resembles a congenital dislocation of the hip. Because the defining feature is its occurrence in infancy, the answer is septic arthritis of infancy.
Step 3: Why the others are wrong. Acute gonococcal arthritis is a sexually transmitted joint infection of adults. Smallpox arthritis is a separate viral arthropathy. Chronic pyogenic arthritis describes a long-standing infection rather than this specific infantile hip condition.
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