In chronic osteomyelitis, in addition to the use of antibiotics for a long time, surgery is often required, cleaning the affected area of the infectious material, debriding the dead tissues to facilitate the arrival of the antibiotic, and filling the bone defects.
A local antibiotic treatment can also be applied to the affected bone. If antibiotic or surgical treatment does not work, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be tried. Sometimes it is very difficult to achieve complete healing of chronic osteomyelitis, and it may be necessary to take antibiotics for a long time. On occasion you may have to amputate. The success of treatment depends not only on antibiotics and possible surgery, but also on the possibility of improving the underlying disease: nutritional deficits of malnourished patients must be corrected, blood flow in patients with ischemia improved if possible, or improve the control of diabetes. The failure of the treatment can lead to the recurrence of the infection. In extreme cases, fistulas can occur in the area, or secondary amyloidosis, although this is rare.
The most important prevention measures against osteomyelitis are the control of chronic diseases that may facilitate its appearance and avoid the infection associated with osteoarticular surgery.
Learn more about your health and well-being at Pharmamedic.
