Multidisciplinary Teams in Musculoskeletal Infection - From a Pathologist's Perspective

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Pathology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are standard in oncology but underutilized in other fields.
• Emerging evidence highlights MDT benefits for musculoskeletal infection patient outcomes.
• Pathologists' roles in MDT settings for non-oncologic diseases require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail the multidisciplinary limb board agenda, emphasizing live microscopy and pathologist involvement.
• To analyze the impact of pathologist contributions in diagnosing musculoskeletal infections within an MDT framework.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, observational study of 66 cases undergoing live microscopy at a multidisciplinary limb board meeting.
• Descriptive analysis of 124 histopathological findings and 181 stainings presented during the meetings.

Main Results:

• Pathologists played a crucial role in clarifying diagnoses for musculoskeletal infections.
• In 80.3% of cases, the pathologist's input confirmed or specified the clinical diagnosis, facilitating consensus.
• Live microscopy integrated into MDT meetings enhanced diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusions:

• MDT meetings with live microscopy offer significant benefits for musculoskeletal infections, including improved communication and collaboration.
• Enhanced pathologist engagement in MDTs can lead to more accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans.
• Consideration of organizational and technical challenges is essential for successful MDT implementation.