Orthopaedic infections

Patients with orthopaedic infections may require admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Necrotizing fasciitis and clostridial myonecrosis (gas gangrene) are serious soft tissue infections that may cause life-threatening complications. Patients suffering from infectious arthritis, osteomyelitis, or prosthetic joint infections may be seen in the ICU as a result of a previous injury, surgery, or delayed infectious processes. This article introduces the ICU nurse to the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management of a variety of orthopaedic infections.