title: A dedicated team approach enhances outcomes of osteomyelitis treatment.
abstract: To assess the impact of a dedicated musculoskeletal infection team, 70 musculoskeletal infections (traumatic and non-traumatic chronic osteomyelitis, Cierny-Mader Type III or IV) in 58 patients with were treated in two groups. Group I (43 infections) was treated with the assistance of an on-call infectious disease specialist. Group II (27 infections) was treated with the assistance of a dedicated musculoskeletal infectious disease specialist. Overall, there was a 42% success in Group I compared with 78% success in Group II. When stratified by infection type, in patients with Type III infections, there was a 56% success in Group I and a 90% success rate in Group II. For patients with Type IV infections, there was a 25% success rate in Group I and a 71% success rate in Group II. The participation of the dedicated musculoskeletal infectious disease specialist significantly improved patient outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Bruce H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Ziran
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Ronald A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003646:Debridement; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D010348:Patient Care Team