Treatment of Bone, Skin & Wound Infections
Treatment of Bone Infections
Bone infections (osteomyelitis) occur when various types of bacteria travel through the bloodstream and spread to the bone or when an open wound over the bone leaves it exposed to bacteria.
Mild bone infections are first treated with a surgical procedure that serves to clean out the bone. Since the bone can be accessed by a variety of approaches, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in bone infection can determine which approach is the most appropriate to use.
Locally administered antibiotics are then administered in one of two ways. One option is to use nonresorable bone cement that requires subsequent surgery for removal and replacement with bone graft. The second option employs an absorbable mix of synthetic bone substitute, which does not require any subsequent surgery. Antibiotic therapy is then required for four to six weeks in order to ensure that all remaining bacteria in the bone and bloodstream have been destroyed. This may be administered orally or through an intravenous catheter depending upon laboratory results from surgical samples of the bacteria that infected the bone.
As with mild bone infection, severe bone infection is first treated with a surgical cleansing procedure, followed by the administration of local antibiotics. With severe infection, after bone cleaning takes place, the bone is not strong enough to bear weight. Several techniques are available to then begin rebuilding the bone. These include bone grafting or bone transport, which is achieved with the use of a special apparatus called the Ilizarov external fixator. This may remain in place for several months, depending on how much of the bone was lost due to the infection
Treatment of Skin Infections
There are a wide variety of skin and soft tissue infections. The most important step in treating a skin infection is determining whether there is only a local response (concentrated in one specific area) or if there is systemic involvement (distributed throughout the body).
Treatment includes appropriate antibiotics, drainage of pus collections, debridement, removal of foreign bodies such as stitches that may be a focus of infection, and treating an underlying skin disease such as eczema.
There are different options for antibiotics depending on the type of skin infection you have:
Treatment of Wound Infections
Wound infections occur when bacteria enters through a break in the skin and attaches to the tissues, thus halting the wound healing process. Deep ulcers (open sores), severe burns, and bite wounds are the most likely to get infected. However, wound infection can also take place in puncture wounds (holes), lacerations (tears), incisions (cuts), and smaller wounds and burns that are left untreated.
Treatment of wound infection is dependent upon the length of time you have been suffering from the infection, the severity and location of the wound, and whether other areas have been affected. Treatment options include the following: