A narrative review of the last decade’s literature on the diagnostic accuracy of septic arthritis of the native joint

Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

Table 4 Characteristics of Common Joint Aspirations

Joint	Approach	Typical Fluid Amount^a (mL) [21]	Additional Notes
Shoulder	Anterior, at half the distance between coracoid and anterolateral edge of acromion	40–60 ml	Aim needle posteriorly and err laterally to avoid neurovascular bundle of the brachial plexus
Elbow	Posterior, just anterolateral to the acromion	20–30 ml	Aim the needle medially and anteriorly
Hip	Lateral/medial/or anterior	5–12 ml [15]	Utilize ultrasound to guide the needle into the area to be drained
Knee	Lateral, at the superior pole of patella	100–200 ml	The needle should “pop” through the lateral retinaculum before you enter the joint space
Ankle	Just lateral to peroneus tertius tendon	20–30 ml	Posterior approach is not recommended as it can damage the articular surface