Septic coxitis is a potentially life-threatening disease which necessitates an early diagnosis and effective treatment to ensure preservation of joint integrity and function. The hip joint is the second most frequently affected joint exceeded only by the knee. In adult patients septic coxitis has a hematogenous and iatrogenic origin in approximately 50 % of cases each (after intra-articular injection and surgery) but in children hematogenous infections are the most common. Septic arthritis of the hip leads to severe functional loss in up to 25% of patients. The treatment consists of systemic antibiotic therapy and stage-adjusted surgical procedures whereby arthroscopic treatment is a promising minimally invasive option for treatment in both children and adults.