What's the treatment for osteomyelitis?
The objective of treating osteomyelitis is to eliminate the infection and prevent the development of chronic infection. Chronic osteomyelitis can lead to permanent deformity and chronic problems so it is important to treat the disease as soon as possible. Treatment of osteomyelitis depends on the severity of the infection and whether it is acute (recent) or chronic (has
been present for a longer period of time). The doctor may use a needle to remove a bacteria sample from the bone to help identify the bacteria responsible for the infection. This is called needle aspiration. The doctor will then be able to choose the correct antibiotic to treat that particular infection.
For children and adults who have recently developed bone infections through the bloodstream, antibiotics are the most effective treatment. These medications are usually given through a needle in a vein (intravenously) for at least part of the time. In children, these antibiotics can be given by mouth after initial treatment by vein. In adults, four to six weeks of intravenous antibiotic treatment is usually recommended, along with bed-rest for part or all of that time. Occasionally, a patient will have such extensive ostemyelitis that surgery will be required to drain any pockets of pus, and to clean the infected area.
In chronic infection, surgical removal of dead bone tissue is usually necessary. The open space left by the removed bone tissue may be filled with bone graft or by packing material to promote the growth of new bone tissue. Antibiotic therapy is continued for at least 3 weeks after surgery.
Infection of an orthopedic prosthesis may require surgical removal of the prosthesis and of the infected tissue surrounding the area. A new prosthesis may be implanted in the same operation or delayed until the infection has resolved, depending on its severity. |
