Can Antibiotic Beads Have An Impact In Osteomyelitis Cases? -
Volume 16 - Issue 10 - October 2003 - 15064 reads - 1 comments
Surgical debridement of infected bone is an unfortunate reality
for those of us who frequently treat patients with diabetes.
While adequate debridement is the most important step in
treating osteomyelitis, many authors have commented on the
adjunctive role of antibiotics in this clinical dilemma.1-3
Systemic antibiotics are routinely used preoperatively and have
been advocated for six weeks or more. However, infected bone may
become devascularized, making the delivery of systemic
antibiotics less than desirable. Delivering systemic antibiotics
may also be compromised when there is associated peripheral
arterial disease in that extremity. The local insertion of
antibiotic-impregnated materials has been commonly used to
supplement surgical debridement of infected tissue and systemic
antibiotics. Locally implanted antibiotics may provide reliably
high concentrations of antibiotic to areas