Osteomyelitis- Basics, Terminology

Courtesy: Prof Nabile Ebraheim, University of Toledo, Ohio, USA

The video describes about Osteomyelitis and it’s management.It is an infection of bone in which bacteria enters the bone and they further attract leukocytes to the area which secretes enzymes in an attempt to destroy them.As a result blood flow to the area is reduced and that part of bone becomes necrotic, which is known as sequestrum. Bone tries to seal off the infection by forming new bone around sequestrum and this new bone is known as involucrum. Sequestrum will drain through the openings in an involucrum to form a sinus.In long standing cases biopsy of sinus should be done to rule out squamous cell carcinoma. Principles of surgical management include make an opening in the involucrum and removing sequestrum followed by saucerization of bone and filling the cavity with bone chips. Postoperatively patient should be placed on antibiotics for 6 weeks.