Osteomyelitis
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| Osteomyelitis Classification and external resources | ||
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| Osteomyelitis in cancer. Image courtesy of Professor Peter Anderson DVM PhD and published with permission © PEIR, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Pathology | ||
| ICD-10 | M86. | |
| ICD-9 | 730 | |
| DiseasesDB | 9367 | |
| MedlinePlus | 000437 | |
| eMedicine | ped/1677 | |
| MeSH | C01.539.160.495 | |
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Osteomyelitis is an infection of bone or bone marrow, usually caused by pyogenic bacteria or mycobacteria. It can be usefully subclassifed on the basis of the causative organism, the route, duration and anatomic location of the infection.
Presentation
Generally microorganisms may be disseminated to bone hematogenously (i.e., via the blood stream), spread contiguously to bone from local areas of infection, such as cellulitis, or be introduced by penetrating trauma including iatrogenic causes such as joint replacements, internal fixation of fractures or root-canalled teeth. Leukocytes then enter the infected area, and in their attempt to engulf the infectious organisms, release enzymes that lyse bone. Pus spreads into the bone's blood vessels, impairing the flow, and areas of devitalized infected bone, known as sequestra, form the basis of a chronic infection. Often, the body will try to create new bone around the area of necrosis. The resulting new bone is often called an involucrum.
On histologic examination, these areas of necrotic bone are the basis for distinguishing between acute osteomyelitis and chronic osteomyelitis. Osteomyelitis is an infective process which encompasses all of the bone (osseous) components, including the bone marrow. When it is chronic it can lead to bone sclerosis and deformity.
Because of the particulars of their blood supply, the tibia, the femur, the humerus, the vertebra, the maxilla and the mandibular bodies are especially susceptible to osteomyelitis. [4]
Etiology
Newborns (younger than 4 mo): S aureus, Enterobacter species, and group A and B Streptococcus species Children (aged 4 mo to 4 y): S aureus, group A Streptococcus species, Haemophilus influenzae, and Enterobacter species Children, adolescents (aged 4 y to adult): S aureus (80%), group A Streptococcus species, H influenzae, and Enterobacter species Adult: S aureus and occasionally Enterobacter or Streptococcus species
In children, the long bones are usually affected. In adults, the vertebrae and the pelvis are most commonly affected.
Acute osteomyelitis almost invariably occurs in children. When adults are affected, it may be because of compromised host resistance due to debilitation, intravenous drug abuse, infectious root-canalled teeth, other disease or drugs (e.g. immunosuppressive therapy).
Treatment
Osteomyelitis often requires prolonged antibiotic therapy. IV antibiotics are generally used to combat the infection, with a course lasting a matter of weeks or months. A PICC line or central venous catheter is often placed for this purpose. Osteomyelitis also may require surgical debridement. Severe cases may lead to the loss of a limb. Initial first line antibiotic choice is determined by the patient's history and regional differences in common infective organisms.
American artist Thomas Eakins in 1875 depicted a surgical procedure for osteomyelitis in a famous oil painting titled "The Gross Clinic," now part of Jefferson Medical College.
Prior to the widespread availability and use of antibiotics, blow fly larvae were sometimes deliberately introduced to the wounds to feed on the infected material, effectively scouring clean.[5]
Causes
The vast predominance of hematogenously seeded osteomyelitis is caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Escherichia coli, Salmonella paratyphi, and streptococci are other common pathogens. In some subpopulations, including intravenous drug users and splenectomized patients, Gram negative bacteria, including enteric bacilli, are significant pathogens.
Staphylococcus aureus is also one of the most common organisms seen in osteomyelitis seeded from areas of contiguous infection, but here Gram negative organisms and anaerobes are somewhat more common, and mixed infections may be seen.
Systemic mycotic, or fungal infections may cause osteomyelitis. The two most common are Blastomyces dermatitidis and Coccidioides immitis.
In osteomyelitis involving the vertebral bodies, about half the cases are due to Staphylococcus aureus, and the other half are due to tuberculosis (spread hematogenously from the lungs). Tubercular osteomyelitis of the spine was so common before the initiation of effective antitubercular therapy that it acquired a special name, Pott's disease, by which it is sometimes still known. The most frequent cause is from infection of an incision from surgery.
Complete Differential Diagnosis of Associated Conditions
- Bacteroides
- Decubitus
- Diabetic angiopathy
- E.Coli
- Gastrointestinal infection
- Klebsiella
- Otitis
- Pneumonia
- Pseudomonas
- Serratia
- Sinusitis
- Skin infection
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Staphylococcus epidermidis
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Tonsilitis
- Urinary tract infection
- Vasculitis [1] [1]
See also
References
Additional Resources
- 5-54b. at Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Professional Edition
- 00298 at CHORUS
de:Osteomyelitis fr:Ostéomyélite it:Osteomielite nl:Osteomyelitis ja:骨髄炎 no:Ostomyelitt
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
