diagnostic value of sinus-track cultures in secondary pediatric chronic osteomyelitis

To determine and compare the diagnosis value and accuracy of culture of material from a sinus track with culture of material from bone specimens. Retrospective study. Dicle University Medical School and Batman State Hospital, Turkey. Twenty-one patients with secondary chronic osteomyelitis [COM]. Material for cultures was taken from the sinus as well as the bone specimens. Surgery for COM. The diagnostic value of sinus track cultures. The mean age of patients was 8.5 +/- 3.8 years. 15 [71.4%] were male and six [28.6%] were female. Organisms isolates from bone cultures were Staphylococcus 71.4% [15 / 21], Pseudomonas aeruginosa 9.5% [2 /21], Escherichia coli 9.5% [2 / 21], Proteus mirabilis 4.8% [1 / 21], Klebsiella pneumoniae 4.8% [1 / 21], respectively. Cultures of sinus track material and bone specimens gave identical results in 47.6% of patients. This study shows that if treatment of COM was planned according to the microbiological analysis of material from the sinus-track, it may not result in recovery every time. We found approximately 48% concordance between sinus-track and bone cultures. In other words, antimicrobial therapy guided by antibiograms of bacteria isolated from sinus-track would be inappropriate in 52% of patients with COM and result in treatment failure

The Effects of Electromagnetic Field on Distraction Osteogenesis

The effects of electromagnetic field on distraction osteogenesis and new bony tissue were investigated. Twenty-five New Zealand rabbits were divided into an experimental (12 rabbits) and a control (13 rabbits) group. An osteotomy was performed on the right tibia in the diaphyseal region in both groups. The experimental group was exposed to a magnetic field of 50 Hz 1.0 mT for 3 hours a day for 13 weeks. The control group was kept in a similar environment but with no electromagnetic field. The distraction was continued until an increase of 10 mm was achieved. At weeks 4, 8, and 13, radiography, scintigraphy, and a biopsy were performed in both groups, and the results were statistically analyzed. The X-ray results were similar in both groups at all times. On the other hand while the scintigraphic and histopathological results were similar at weeks 4 and 13 in both groups, the osteoblastic activity was significantly greater in the experimental group at week 8 (p < 0.01). In conclusion an electromagnetic field increases the osteoblastic activity and osteogenesis, but has little effect during the remodeling phase.