Chronic pyogenic osteomyelitis of long bones at specialized hospital

Abstract EN

Chronic pyogenic osteomyelitis of long bones is common and difficult to treat.

Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the pattern of presentation and outcome of treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of long bones at specialized hospital in Nigeria.

Patients and methods : Case records of patients who were managed for chronic osteomyelitis between January 2009 and December 2011 at Nongu u Kristu u I Ser u sha Tar (NKST) Rehabilitation Hospital, Mkar, were retrieved from the Medical Records Department and analyzed retrospectively for age, gender, bones involved, microbiological isolates, treatment modalities and recurrence.

Results: Fifty-three patients with chronic pyogenic osteomyelitis of 57 long bones were studied.

This consisted of 30 males (56.

6 %) and 27 females (43.

4 %) giving a male-to-female ratio of 1.1 : 1.

The age range was 3-60 years (mean 20.

34 ± 13.

48).

Poorly-treated or neglected acute haematogenous osteomyelitis was the predominamt cause of chronic osteomyelitis (n = 40, 70.

2 %).

The involved bones include tibia (n=29, 50.

9 %), femur (n=11, 19.

3 %), humerus (n = 9, 15.

8 %).

Staphylococcus aureus was the most common offending organism isolated (n = 13, 52 %).

Sequestrectomy and curettage (n = 51, 96.

2 %) was the main surgical procedure carried out.

Conclusion: Chronic osteomyelitis is mostly a disease of children and predominantly affects the tibia.

Poorly-treated or neglected acute haematogenous osteomyelitis is the predominant cause of the disease.