[The posttraumatic osteomyelitis in guinea-pigs (author's transl)]

A model of posttraumatic osteomyelitis was developed in 120 Duncan-Hartley guinea-pigs. For this purpose the right femura of all animals were fractured surgically. In 60 guinea-pigs immobilisation of the fractured extremity was omitted, in remaining 60 the medullary space was splinted with intramedullary pin. Each of the two groups was further subdivided in three subgroups, i.s. non infected controls, staphylococcus aureus-infections and escherichia coli-infections. Comparative evaluations were based on ten follow-up studies, nine of which were scheduled for the first three postoperative months and one 12 months after surgery. The overwhelming majority of infected animals developed acute osteomyelitis. This was found to heal within the first three postoperative months in just a few of the animals without intramedullary pinning. In all other animals the condition became chronic and was still demonstrable one year after infection. Follow-up immunological studies were based on bacterial ingestion. An evaluation of opsonic activity against time revealed statistically significant deferences for all groups. Marked depression of opsonic activity within the first 35 postoperative days after intramedullary pinning constituted the most prominent immunological finding.