Injury
Volume 42, Supplement 5 , Pages S18-S23, December 2011

Management of bone infections in adults: the surgeon's and microbiologist's perspectives

  • G. Mouzopoulos

      Affiliations

    • Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
    • ,
  • N.K. Kanakaris

      Affiliations

    • Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
    • ,
  • G. Kontakis

      Affiliations

    • Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
    • ,
  • O. Obakponovwe

      Affiliations

    • Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
    • ,
  • R. Townsend

      Affiliations

    • Department of Microbiology, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK
    • ,
  • P.V. Giannoudis

      Affiliations

    • Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Professor P.V. Giannoudis BSc, MD, FRCS, Academic Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Leeds General Infirmary, Clarendon Wing, Level A, Great George Street, LS1 3EX, Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Tel.: +44 113 392 2750; fax: +44 113 392 3290

Abstract 

Bone infection in adults is a potentially devastating complication following trauma or surgery. The clinician should diagnose osteomyelitis based on certain clinical manifestations and on laboratory and imaging findings. For pathogen identification, the treating surgeon should take appropriate tissue samples. Close collaboration with microbiologists is of paramount importance to dictate the appropriate duration and type of antibiotics to be administered. Treatment of acute osteomyelitis requires surgical debridement and prolonged course of antibiotics. Debate exists regarding the maintenance or the removal of any internal fixation device. Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis is more complicated. For its eradication the treatment course is often prolonged and frustrating. Based on the current literature an algorithm of treatment for both acute and chronic bone infections is recommended.

Keywords:  Bone infection , Osteomyelitis , Antibiotics , Debridement

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PII: S0020-1383(11)70128-0

doi:10.1016/S0020-1383(11)70128-0

Injury
Volume 42, Supplement 5 , Pages S18-S23, December 2011

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