[Neonatal osteomyelitis. Study of a series of 35 cases]

After a brief literature review, we analyze the results obtained with a retrospective study of 35 neonatal osteomyelitis diagnosed between 1-January-75 and 31-December-87. The valuated frequency was of 0.40% alive newborns. Between the antecedents, we find previous neonatal sepsis in 68% of the cases. The clinical general findings were less apparent, emphasizing among the local symptoms the pain to passive mobilization and swelling. From acute phase reactants, this study rebounds the high sensitivity of C reactive protein and globular sedimentation rate. The most frequently germ isolated was S. aureus followed by K. pneumoniae. The osteomyelitic injure was unifocal in 71% of the cases and the femur was the most probable bone to be affected. At the initial treatment we associated a beta-lactamic antibiotic with an aminoglycoside one in all cases, with surgical removal in 94%. The mortality was null, but grave arthritic sequels appeared in 14% of the patients. Finally, we propose the employance of seriated quantification of C-reactive protein in the follow-up and control of therapeutic efficiency.