title: Acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in children. A simple approach to treatment.
abstract: A 12-month prospective study of 45 patients with bacteriologically proven acute osteitis and septic arthritis is presented. Sodium fusidate and erythromycin at the recommended dosage of 30 mg/kg/d for 3 weeks was found to be an effective first-line antibiotic regimen. The hazards of Haemophilus infection are emphasized. Immediate Gram staining is therefore strongly recommended. It was found that adequate drainage of a subperiosteal abscess without drilling of the bone always resulted in complete cure, while cases of septic arthritis consequent upon decompression of a contiguous metaphysitis were adequately treated by arthrotomy and irrigation alone. The authors believe that early limited surgery with adequate administration of antibiotics aided by early circumspect mobilization will provide a good functional and cosmetically acceptable result in most cases.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005672:Fusidic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D005672:Fusidic Acid; D004917:Erythromycin