The Belfast technique for the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis in a tropical teaching hospital.
From September 1995 to August 2001, we treated 25 patients with chronic osteomyelitis of long bones by a two-stage technique. This consisted of the radical removal of all infected bone and soft tissue and immediate provision of soft-tissue cover. This was supplemented when necessary with delayed autogenous bone grafting. The average follow-up was 46 months (range: 19-80 months). One patient with haemoglobin sickle cell disease (HbSS) died after the second stage of surgery. There were four recurrences, one of which followed a myocutaneous flap that became necrotic. Ankylosis occurred in five patients.
Alonge
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Division of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. alonget@skannet.com
Ogunlade
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Omololu
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000601:surgery*; D014329:Tropical Climate