Osteomyelitis in children: comparison of hematogenous and secondary osteomyelitis

A review of osteomyelitis in 54 patients treated at the Dr. Charles A. Janeway Child Health Centre over a 4-year period revealed equal frequencies of secondary and hematogenous osteomyelitis. Although the clinical picture in patients with hematogenous osteomyelitis was classic, patients with secondary osteomyelitis presented with an altered clinical response. Patients with secondary osteomyelitis have a history of an antecedent puncture wound or an inadequately treated contiguous focus of infection; antistaphylococcal antimicrobial therapy was ineffective for most because gram-negative bacilli were isolated in this group of patients. In contrast to patients with hematogenous osteomyelitis, who frequently respond to intensive antimicrobial therapy, those with secondary osteomyelitis will frequently require surgical intervention to eradicate the infection.