The purpose of this study was to refine an accepted contaminated
rat femur defect model to result in an infection rate of approximately
50%. This threshold will allow examination of treatments aimed at
reducing infection in open fractures with less risk of type II error. Defects were created in the stablised femurs of anaethetised
rats, contaminated with Objectives
Methods
Despite the routine use of irrigation, debridement and systemic antibiotics, there is a high incidence of infection in severe open fractures. The synergistic use of local and systemic antibiotics appreciably reduces infection rates although the time window within which this is effective is unknown. The aim was to determine if delaying treatment of wounds causes higher levels of infection. A defect was created in the femurs of 90 Sprague-Dawley rats and inoculated with 105CFUs Staphylococcus aureus. At 2, 6 and 24 hours following contamination, the defect was irrigated and debrided. The experimental groups had either vancomycin or tobramycin impregnated PMMA beads placed within the segmental defect. The controls received no further treatment. Two weeks after wound closure, the bacteria within the femur were quantified.Introduction
Methods
