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Osteomyelitis in spinal cord injury
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|March 1, 1984
Summary
Osteomyelitis is a significant complication in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients, often linked to pressure sores and difficult to diagnose. Prompt diagnosis and treatment, including bone cultures and surgery, are crucial for patient recovery.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Infectious Diseases
- Neurology
Background:
- Osteomyelitis is a serious bone infection that can complicate spinal cord injury (SCI).
- It frequently occurs secondary to pressure sores or trauma in SCI patients.
- Diagnosis can be challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other SCI-related conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence and characteristics of osteomyelitis in spinal cord injured patients.
- To highlight diagnostic challenges and effective treatment strategies for osteomyelitis in this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 154 spinal cord injured patients over two years.
- Analysis of osteomyelitis cases, including etiology, causative organisms, diagnostic methods, and treatment outcomes.
- Correlation of osteomyelitis with pressure sores and other SCI sequelae.
Main Results:
- Osteomyelitis was identified in 29 of 154 SCI patients.
- Commonly caused by anaerobic bacteria and gram-negative rods, often beneath pressure sores.
- Diagnosis frequently required bone biopsy due to unreliable imaging; surgery was necessary in most cases for cure.
Conclusions:
- Osteomyelitis is a frequent and complex complication in spinal cord injury.
- Consider osteomyelitis in SCI patients with non-healing wounds or unexplained spinal cord compression.
- Bone cultures and surgical intervention are often essential for successful treatment.