title: Antibiotic cement nail for the treatment of posttraumatic intramedullary infections of the tibia: midterm results in 10 cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This is a single, level 1 trauma centre, prospective consecutive patient series with intramedullary infection in the presence of unstable tibial fracture treated using the Kirschner wire-reinforced, antibiotic cement nail.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 10 consecutive patients (eight males and two females) with a mean age of 42 years (range, 20-59) suffering from infection after intramedullary nailing for tibial fracture, admitted during a period of 4 years, were included. An antibiotic cement-coated nail, handmade at the time of surgery, was implanted in all patients. This was followed by a standardised 6-week treatment protocol, extraction of the nail and definitive fixation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 years of follow-up, infection eradication and bony union were possible in all of the patients. No further infection treatment was necessary; however, all of our patients underwent additional procedures (mean: four additional procedures per patient) for cosmetic or other non-infectious reasons (bone grafting, muscle flaps, etc.).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The antibiotic cement-coated nail seems to be an effective treatment for intramedullary infections of the fractured tibia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Inflammatory Disorders of Locomotor System, The Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, Otwock, Poland. m.wasko@cmkp.edu.pl
authors.forename: Marcin Krzysztof
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Wasko
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Borens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001843:Bone Cements; D001858:Bone Nails; D001864:Bone Wires; D005260:Female; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010000:Osteitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013978:Tibial Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001843:Bone Cements