• Khairul Rizal Zayzan, Nazri Mohd Yusof, Ahmad Fadzli Sulong, Zamzuri Zakaria, and RahmanJamalludin AbJADepartment of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, International Islamic University of Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia..
• Department of Orthopaedics, Hospital Tengku Ampuan Najihah, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.
• Singap Med J. 2022 May 1; 63 (5): 251255251-255.

IntroductionThe clinical outcomes and factors associated with treatment failure of post-traumatic osteomyelitis have been investigated in many studies. However, limb functionality and quality of life following treatment for this condition have not been thoroughly studied.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 47 patients with post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the lower limb. Functional outcome was assessed using the Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS), and quality of life was assessed using the validated Malay version of the Short Form-36 questionnaire version 2.ResultsThe mean follow-up period was 4.6 (range 2.3-9.5) years, and the median age of the patients was 44 years. Osteomyelitis was located in the tibia for 26 patients and in the femur for 21 patients. Osteomyelitis was consequent to internal infection in 38 patients and due to infected open fractures in nine patients. 42 (89.4%) patients had fracture union and control of infection. Bone defect was found to be a significant contributing factor for treatment failure (p = 0.008). The median LEFS for the success group was 65, compared to 49 for the failure group. Although the success group showed better scores with regard to quality of life, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant.ConclusionTreatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the lower limb had a high success rate. The presence of a bone defect was associated with treatment failure. Successfully treated patients had significantly better functional outcomes than in those in whom treatment failed.Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.

14 keywords...

hide…