[Surgical treatment of chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis. A series of 42 cases].
BACKGROUND
Chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis (C.H.O.) is still a scourge of the non-industrialized countries. The authors operated on 420 cases of C.H.O. in Algeria between 1968 and 1987. A computerized analysis of the results of the surgical treatment of these 420 cases was made in Brussels, Belgium, by two of the authors. The results of this computerized study are exposed.


METHODS
67.1 per cent of the patients were male and 37.9 female. 68 per cent were operated before 16 y. of age. 381 lesions involved tubular bones: femur, tibia and humerus were the most frequent locations. Only 4 per cent of the cases had never presented a suppuration. Cultures of Staphylococcus were positive in 82 per cent of the cases. Surgical procedure was classical--bone window opening, sequestrectomy and saucerisation--in 359 cases. Operation was limited to soft tissues in 22 cases and bone resection was performed in 39 cases. Post-operative antibiotherapy was administered for a period of 10 to 60 days according to the patients.


RESULTS
After the first operation with the classical procedure, results were satisfactory in 72 per cent of the cases but "healing" was achieved in 95 per cent of the cases after 2, 3, 4 and up to 6 operations. After bone resection, the rate of permanent healing was of 100 per cent. Follow-up was of more of 1 year (up to 22 y.) in 80 per cent of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
As far as classical procedure is concerned, a computerized analysis made according to 34 variables, led to the conclusions that the following variables could have a positive influence upon the prognosis: surgical team's experience, young age of the patient at the time of operation, subacute onset of the disease, location on the humerus, diaphysis of long bones, membranous and short bones, small number of sinuses, sclero-geodic radiologic appearance of the lesions, thin perifocal radiologic condensation, periosteal reaction, post-operative administration of two antibiotics. Excellent results of bone resection are pointed out but attention is drawn on the dangers of extending the indications for resection to the tubular bones.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors conclude that improvement in the results of the surgical treatment of C.H.O. may only take place after improvement of the quality and duration of chemotherapy: that is confirmed by the results of a clinical trial they organized on the role of post-operative administration of Amoxicilline + Clavulanic Acid for a period of 60 days after surgery: 44 patients, 2 lost to follow-up, 4 failures and 38 "healings" (90.5 per cent) at 2 years and more.
Martini
M
M
Service de Chirurgie Orthopédique et Traumatologique, Hôpital Universitaire de Douera (Centre Hospitalo-universitaire de Blida), Tipaza, Algérie.
Daoud
A
A
Saïghi-Bouaouina
A
A
Ziani
F
F
Burny
F
F
Donkerwolcke
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012086:Reoperation; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery
Traitement chirurgical des ostéomyélites hématogènes chroniques. Une série de 420 cas.