Efficacy Evaluation Of Traumatic Chronic Osteomyelitis Treated With Vancomycin-calcium Sulfate

Objective To evaluate the effects of vancomycin-calcium sulfate in the treatment of traumatic chronic osteomyelitis.Method Since 2005 to 2007,16 patients with traumatic chronic osteomyelitis were treated with vancomycin-calcium sulfate. There were 11 males and 5 females with an average age of 43.4 years(range from 29 to 65 years).Of these cases, all were posttraumatic infection after internal fixation of fracture, including closed fracture in 3 cases, II°open fracture in 3 cases, and III°open fracture in 13 cases. The involved bones included tibia in 11 cases and femur in 5 cases. The mean time of infection was 42 months(range from 5 months to 380 months).After thorough debridement to wipe out dead bones and granulation tissue , vancomycin-calcium sulfate was put into the space.Results The all patients were followed up for 5 to 25 months(average 12.2months).Wounds healed well in 15 cases. New bone could be found after 4 weeks in 6 cases of osteomyelitis with bone defects. 1 cases which suffered from excessive effusion got control of the infection with secondlocal debridement after 2 weeks. There were not recrudescences in allpatients. Systematic reaction and refracture did not happen.Conclusion Treatment of traumatic chronic osteomyelitis withvancomycin-calcium sulfate after clearance of the local lesion is an idealoption.