Chronic osteomyelitis reflects a progressive inflammatory process of destruction and necrosis affecting bone architecture. It presents a challenge to manage, requiring multi-stage multidisciplinary interventions, and the literature reports a wide variety of treatment strategies. This systematic scoping review aims to map and summarise existing literature on treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the femur and tibia and investigates the full range of treatments reported in order to enhance the reader's understanding of how to manage this complex condition. A comprehensive computer-based search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Emcare and CINAHL for articles reporting treatment of chronic tibial/femoral osteomyelitis. Two reviewers independently performed a two-stage title/abstract and full-text screening, followed by data collection. Studies were included if they described any treatment strategy including at least one surgical intervention. Key information extracted included causative pathogens, treatment protocol and outcome i.e. both success rate, defined as remission achieved following initial treatment with no recurrence during followup, and recurrence rate.Aim
Method
