TWO-STAGE REOSTEOSYNTHESIS OF TIBIA IN THE PATIENT WITH FRACTURE NON-UNION COMPLICATED BY POSTOPERATIVE OSTEOMYELITIS

Abstract

The authors present a case report of a patient with pseudarthrosis of the right tibia complicated by chronic postoperative osteomyelitis. The development of the osteomyelitis process is caused by locked intramedullary fixation of the right tibia by a retrograde nail. Unstable fixation led to the development of acute periimplant infection and osteomyelitis.A radical surgical debridement of the focus site of chronic infection was performed by removing locking screws and nail, removal of necrotic bone tissues by handling the tibial medullary cavity by special reamers. The authors used the pulse lavage with active removal of the solution for an additional sterilization of the surgical wound and medullary cavity. A reinforced spacer impregnated with vancomycin and polyvalent bacteriophage was placed in the medullary cavity to ensure local prolonged antimicrobial therapy. Instead of the removed monomer the polyvalent bacteriophage was introduced into the polymer composition including phages against the main infectious agents in patients of traumatology and orthopedics clinic.Three months after the first stage of treatment and stabilization of laboratory parameters the patient was readmitted to the clinic. The second stage of procedure included removal of spacer, closed antegrade locked internal fixation of the right tibia and talus by a nail with an antimicrobial coating of bone cement impregnated with vancomycin and a polyvalent bacteriophage. Antimicrobial coating of the nail was made intraoperatively using an original mold.Two stage procedure allowed to achieve a stable remission of chronic osteomyelitis and stable internal fixation of tibia pseudarthrosis with preservation of the supporting function of the lower limb.

Keywords

• osteomyelitis
• intramedullary spacer
• antimicrobial coating