[Infections in orthopedics and traumatology. Pathogenesis and therapy]

Infections in orthopedics and traumatology are particularly challenging for the treating physician due to changing epidemiology and bacteriology, in particular immunosenescent patients and antimicrobial resistance. Numerous exogenous and endogenous factors contribute to the onset of bone/joint infection. Known clinical entities include osteitis/osteomyelitis, arthritis, prosthesis-associated infection and spondylitis/spondylodiscitis. Knowledge of epidemiology, bacteriology, and clinic and healing processes in infections leads to a better understanding of the various treatment strategies. Cephalosporin, fosfomycin, glycopeptide, lincosamide, oxazolidinones, ansamycins und fusidic acids represent the standard therapeutic agents in orthopedics and traumatology. Fluoroquinolones, glycylcyclines and lipopeptides are new and possibly promising alternatives. The most important indices of antibiotic agents used in everyday practice are discussed. In complicated cases, collaboration with a specialist for infectious diseases results in improved therapeutic results.