title: Bone cultures from war-wounded civilians in the Middle East: a surgical prospective.
abstract: Hidden infections in a reconstructive surgery program are frequently underestimated.
  
  
  
  A retrospective study was undertaken of 1,891 civilian war-wounded patients from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Gaza treated in Amman from August 2006 to January 2016. One thousand three hundred and fifty-three underwent surgical interventions for previous bone injury and had systematic bone cultures.
  
  
  
  Among patients (167) without any clinical, biological or radiological signs of infection, 46% demonstrated infection based on bone cultures. We conclude that bone culture should become a prerequisite for any reconstruction in such contexts.
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières, Paris, France. pherard@paris.msf.org.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hérard
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières, Paris, France.
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boillot
authors.affiliation: Médecins Sans Frontières, Amman, Jordan.
authors.forename: Rasheed M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fakhri
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000293:injuries* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014857:Warfare
keywords: Bone culture; Bone reconstructive surgery; War surgery