Osteomyelitis (Latin osteomyelitis) is an inflammation of the tissue that fills the bone marrow cavities. Bone marrow inflammation can occur, among others, as a result of a broken bone or during a hip replacement. Quickly diagnosed osteomyelitis gives a chance of recovery without complications, but late diagnosis may even result in bone loss. What are the causes and symptoms of osteomyelitis? What is the treatment?
Osteomyelitis(Latinosteomyelitis ) is an inflammation of the hematopoietic tissue that fills the bone marrow cavities. Osteomyelitis can develop in any bone, but in children it most often develops in the long bones of the arms and legs, i.e. the femur and tibia, and the brachial and radial bones. In turn, in adults, inflammation usually affects the bones of the pelvis or spine. The observations of doctors also show that osteomyelitis is most often diagnosed in children from 5 to 14 years of age, and much more often in boys than in girls.
Osteomyelitis - Causes
The most common cause of osteomyelitis is bacterial infection. In infants, the most common causes of inflammation are staphylococci and bacteria from the groupEnterobacter.In older children, streptococci and bacteriaHaemophilus influenzae(bacillus hemophilic).
Microbes can enter the bone marrow through the blood. It is also possible for them to pass into the marrow from infected bones, muscles, tendons, and even skin. Bacteria can also enter the bone marrow during surgery, such as replacing a hip joint or setting up a broken bone.
Factors that increase your risk of osteomyelitis include a weakened immune system, rapid growth, intravenous drug administration, hemodialysis to treat kidney disease, open fractures, artificial limbs (prostheses), infections in surrounding tissues and skin, and diabetes.
Osteomyelitis - symptoms
Symptoms of acute osteomyelitis are:
- fever and accompanying chills and sweating;
- badwell-being, general weakness;
- pain, swelling, redness and warmth of the tissues located directly above the bone inflammation. The ailments intensify when trying to move the limb affected by the inflammatory process;
There is no pain or fever in the course of chronic osteomyelitis. The leakage of pus from the fistula between the medullary cavity and the skin is characteristic.
Osteomyelitis - diagnosis
In order to diagnose inflammation in the bone marrow, blood tests are performed that show an increase in the number of lymphocytes, as well as an increase in CRP (the so-called acute phase protein) and ESR (Biernacki's test). In addition, blood culture and bone marrow biopsy are also performed.
Bone examinations, such as scintigraphy, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or bone x-rays are also helpful.
Osteomyelitis - treatment
Treatment consists of administering antibiotics and painkillers to the patient. In advanced stages of the disease, pus drainage may be necessary, and eventually the removal of damaged tissue or bone.
In the youngest, the parents' attention should be drawn to reluctance to walk, limping, limited use of the diseased limb.