Traumatic Knee Arthrotomy Induced by Wild Boar Tusk in a 15-Year-Old Male: A Case Report

Abstract

This case report describes a unique incident involving a boar attack in a wilderness setting, resulting in a traumatic knee arthrotomy in a pediatric patient. The patient presented to the emergency department with a laceration caused by a wild boar attack while hunting. Initial assessment revealed a deep laceration over his anterior knee and radiographs demonstrated significant air within the knee joint, consistent with a traumatic knee arthrotomy. The patient was placed on empiric, broad-spectrum antibiotics and underwent urgent surgical irrigation and debridement. Intraoperative cultures were sent, and infectious disease was consulted. Intraoperative cultures obtained grew Aspergillus and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, although the Aspergillus was ultimately thought to be a contaminant. The patient was then placed on sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMX-TMP) for targeted antibiotic treatment. The patient responded well to the treatment regimen, with no signs of infection or further complications. Follow-up examinations have demonstrated full, painless knee range of motion and no adverse postoperative events. This case demonstrates a rare but significant injury in a pediatric patient secondary to a wild boar attack. Furthermore, though a systematic review was not conducted, no similar cases were identified in the available literature describing these bacterial isolates from a wild boar tusk within a traumatic arthrotomy. These findings may assist orthopedic surgeons, emergency physicians, and infectious disease specialists in antibiotic selection when these injuries are encountered to prevent subsequent complications.