ABSTRACT
Although antibiotics have greatly improved the results of treatment of hematogenous osteomyelitis, hematogenous osteomyelitis in children is still complex and difficult disease by which severe deformity and disability may result. A retrospective clinical study of 44 cases of hematogenous osteomyelitis in children was done at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Busan National University Hospital from January 1980 to February 1985. The results were as follows: 1. The ratio between males and females was 2.1: 1, and the prevalent age gmup was from 11 to 15 years. 2. The common sites of involvement were femur and tibia in orders. 3. At initial surgical treatment, fenestration in acute stage and saucerization in chronic stage were commonly performed. And at surgical wound management, primary closure with closed continuous irrigation was most frequently performed. 4. Children with acute clinical presentations tended to have more unsatisfactory results, probably because of delay of diagnosis and treatment, simple soft tissue drainage at initial surgical treatment, secondary closure at surgical wound management and inadequate parenteral antibiotic therapy.