Infections in bone and joints Flashcards
What is osteomyelitis?
A bone infection
What is septic arthritis?
A joint infection
Who is most commonly effected by acute osteomyelitis?
- Children mostly
- Boys >girls
- Those with a history of trauma
- Diabetics
- Rheumatic Arthritis
- Immunocompromised
- Steroid users
- Sickle cell
Acute osteomyelitis, source of infection - Haematogenous spread?
Children and elderly
Acute osteomyelitis, source of infection - Local spread from infection spread?
> Trauma, open fracture
Bone surgery
Joint replacement
Acute osteomyelitis, source of infection?
> Haematogenous
Local from contiguous site of infection
Vascular insufficiency
Acute osteomyelitis, source of infection - in infants?
Infected umbilical cord
Acute osteomyelitis, source of infection - in children?
> Boils
Tonsilitis
Skin abrasions
Acute osteomyelitis, source of infection - in adults?
> UTI
> Arterial line
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In infants, <1 year?
> S aureus
Group B Strep
E. coli
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In older children?
> S aureus
Strep pyogenes
Haemophilus influenzae
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In adults?
> S aureus, most common > Coagulase negative Strep (Prosthesis) > Propionibacterium spp (Prosthesis) > Mycobacterium tuberculosis > Pseudomonas aeroginosa, especially secondary to penetrating foot injuries, IVDAs
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In diabetic foot and pressure sores?
Mixed infection including anaerobes
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In sickle cell disease?
Salmonella spp
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In fishermen, filleter?
Mycobacterium marnum
Acute osteomyelitis, causative organism - In debilitation, HIV, AIDs, other immunocompromised?
Candida
Acute osteomyelitis - where is affected?
Long bones - Metaphysis
- Distal femur
- Proximal tibia
- Proximal humerus
Joints with intra-articular metaphysis:
- Hip
- Elbow (Radial head)
Acute osteomyelitis - Pathology?
1) Start at metaphysis
2) Vascular tasks
3) Acute inflammation
4) Suppuration
5) Release of pressure
6) Necrosis of bone (Sequestrum)
7) New bone formation (Involucrum)
8) Resolution, or not (chronic)
Acute osteomyelitis, clinical features - In infants?
> May be minimal signs, or may be very ill > Failure to thrive > Drowsy or irritable > Metaphyseal tenderness + swelling > Decrease ROM > Positional change > Most common around the knee
Acute osteomyelitis, clinical features - In children?
> Severe pain
Reluctant to move (neighbouring joints held flexed); not weight bearing
May be tender fever (swinging pyrexia) + tachycardia
Malaise (fatigue, nausea, vomiting – “nae weel” - fretful
Toxaemia
Primary acute osteomyelitis, clinical features - In adults?
> Primary OM seen commonly in thoracolumbar spine
Backache
History of UTI or urological procedure
Elderly, diabetic, immunocompromised
Secondary acute osteomyelitis, clinical features - In adults?
> Secondary OM much more common
Often after open fracture, surgery (esp. ORIF)
Mixture of organisms
Causative organism in cellulitis?
Group A Strep
Causative organism in Erysipelas?
Group A Strep
Causative organism in necrotising fasciitis?
- Group A Strep
- Clostridia
Causative organism in gas gangrene?
Clostridium perfringens
Causative organism in toxic shock syndrome?
S aureus
What is cellulitis?
Soft tissue infection - (deep) infection of subcutaneous tissues (Gp A Strep)
What is Erysipelas?
Soft tissue infection - superficial infection with red, raised plaque (Gp A Strep)
What is necrotising fasciitis?
Soft tissue infection - aggressive fascial infection (Gp A Strep, Clostridia)
What is gas gangrene?
Soft tissue infection - grossly contaminated trauma (Clostridium perfringens)
Acute osteomyelitis, diagnosis?
> History and clinical examination (pulse + temp.)
> FBC + diff WBC (neutrophil leucocytosis)
> ESR, CRP
> Blood cultures x3 (at peak of temperature – 60% +ve)
> U&Es – ill, dehydrated
> Aspiration
> Imaging
Acute osteomyelitis, diagnosis - imaging techniques?
> X-ray (normal in the first 10-14 days)
> Ultrasound
> Isotope Bone Scan imaging (Technectium-99 labelled siphosphonate, Gallium-67 citrate delayed)
> Labelled white cell scan (Indium-111)
> MRI
What is seen on radiograph in acute osteomyelitis, early on?
Minimal changes
What is seen on radiograph in acute osteomyelitis, 10-20days?
Periosteal changes
What is seen on radiograph in acute osteomyelitis?
> Early radiographs minimal changes
> 10-20 days early periosteal changes
> Medullary changes - lytic areas
> Late osteonecrosis - sequestrum
> Late periosteal new bone - involucrum
What is sequestrum?
Late osteonecrosis
What is involucrum?
Late periosteal new bone formation