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

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 <i>Aspergillus</i> and <i>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</i>, although the <i>Aspergillus</i> 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.