Clinical suspicion is key: an unusual presentation of septic arthritis after distal pancreatectomy

Septic arthritis is the result of an infectious agent gaining access a sterile joint. This results in a devastating inflammatory response that leads to rapid destruction of intra-articular cartilage and with it significant morbidity. This case study reports an unusual presentation of septic arthritis following abdominal surgery; specifically, a distal pancreatectomy performed for an enlarged, mid-body pancreas mass involving the splenic artery. This is the first reported case of septic arthritis following abdominal surgery, though the exact etiology is unknown.