osteomyelitis

i was wondering if any one on the board has had to deal with this? what were you experinces? how did it effect you?

i had an amputation a few years back because of this, and just recently my doctor at the va hospital said that i still have it. is this something i can live with? from what ive read it dosent sound to bad. i mean it doesnt sound as bad as removeing more tissue?

any input will be helpful..

Well Dale (great username by the way!), much of it would depend on how you originally acquired the infection. Most cases that I know of involving adult Osteomyelitis were initially caused by chronic bacterial infections from Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes. Basically what happens is that the bacterium will enter the subject through some sort of open wound stimulating Leukocyte production in the Thymus and Lymphatic system. These Leukocyte cells will begin to strip off the Periosteum that surrounds the outer layer of the bone (when the bacterial infection runs deep) and promote the growth of Involucrum bone tissue to try and repair the damaged surface. If left untreated it could eventually lead to far greater problems with bone density and deformity; not that I'm trying to say this will happen to you.

There are several common medications that are used to treat it and I would be curious as to what they prescribed to you during your previous infection. Maybe they have already tried one of these:

Nafcillin- initially given to most patients because by the time they progress to Osteomyelitis they are generally resistant to penicillin G Streptococcal and/or staphylococcal bacterium.

Cefazolin- This is essentially a organic/synthetic Cephalosporin that prohibits bacterial cell wall synthesis and thus will act to inhibit bacterial growth.

Vancomycin- usually only useful against gram-positive bacterial species like Enterococcus, but has been noted to help stop some forms of antibacterial resistant Staphylococcus.

There are others of couse like Erythema, Linezolid, Ceftriaxone, etc., but it would take forever to go through them all. Since you mentioned that the VA Physician told you that the infection has not completely gone I would venture a speculative guess that it may be chronic and could require further treatment with antibiotics as they are usually continued for months with an infection involving bacteria found in the order of Lactobacillales. In lieu of this, one thing that may sound rather gross, but could help, would be a dual treatment with antibiotics and maggots. The antibiotics would help the infection from continuing to spread, and the maggots would literally eat away at any necrotic tissue remaining post-infection. Either way, I would definitely consult your VA Physician or another Physician if the first doesn't help.

nafcillin sounds farmilar.

the orignal injury was 7 fractures 3 of wich were compound that resulted from a gun shot wound. the wound heald fine but the trama from it resulted in several surgeries. in wich i had 2 diget wigets in staled wich are meant to be permanate. two posts are implanted into the bone and artifical nuckels and ligmates are attached to the implant to assist with rom(range of motion) the posts became infected and they had to amputate. not some thing im looking forward to again. thats were the cronic illness comes in that is the same words of my doc. during my first amputation they took bone marrow samples just in case and told me a short while after every thing was fine. then bam this and they want to remove more tissue.


thanks for the info. i look forward to any more responces.

as far as consulting the doc. ive done that and skipped my last two appointments. maybe not a good idea. ive had 9 surgeries already and not looking forward to any more. and last vist they set me up with a surgen and were trying to set dates, my phone hasnt stopped ringing from them. i just wanted to know a little more about what i was dealing with.