Osteomyelitis

Principles of Surgical Treatment for Osteomyelitis
Adequate debridement of all infected tissue, include bone is critical. Multiple debridements may be necessary. The sequestrum has to be removed. The sequestrum is almost like a dead fish in a clean pond, you have to get it out! The infected tissue around it has to be sterilized. Make sure a pathological fracture isn’t created. Stabilize if needed, usually an external fixator is preferred. If a cavity is created after a debridement, the cavity is filled with bone chips, cement or a muscle flap, if necessary. Antibiotics are usually prescribed for 6 weeks (organism specific). The recurrence of infection could be as high as 30% (Figure 6).