Abstract
Aim
To retrospectively investigate the clinical outcome after surgical, single-stage treatment of orthopaedic infections using antibiotics delivered locally by a calcium sulphate/hydroxyapatite biocomposite.
Method
In order to identify the patients, we retrospectively searched several patient associated hospital-based databases using free text search with the term “Cerament” between November 2015 and November 2018.
58 cases with confirmed osteomyelitis and in which the bone substitute loaded with Gentamicin and/or Vancomycin had been used were identified and further evaluated.
Results
Mean age was 58.9 years (range: 25–89). 46 (79.3 %) patients had at least 12 months follow up. The remaining 12 patients had a mean follow up time of 10.0 months (range 7–11). Infection was eradicated in 54 patients (93.1 %). In one the patients with recurrent infection repeated surgery with addition of bone substitute loaded with fosfomycin eventually eradicated the infection.
One patient died of causes not related to the infection nor the treatment. Five patients presented transient white wound drainage but no signs of infection. No other side effects were identified.
Conclusions
Local administration of antibiotics and dead space management using a calcium sulphate/hydroxyapatite biocomposite1 in combination with single-stage surgical debridement, stabilisation and postoperative culture-specific systemic antibiotics resulted in a high amount of eradicated infections and in line with other authors.
