Diagnosis and Treatment Modalities for Osteomyelitis

Bilateral mandibular osteomyelitis following chemo-radiotherapy: Critical rare case report and review of literature

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Osteomyelitis, an inflammatory condition of the bone, poses significant challenges in clinical management due to its multifactorial etiology and variable presentation. Understanding the underlying mechanisms, risk factors, and biological processes is essential for improving treatment outcomes. Through this paper, we present an exceptionally rare case of "bilateral" aggressive osteomyelitis affecting the mandible, resulting in significant bone loss on both sides. Additionally, we review the literature to explore the causes of this disease and the factors contributing to its occurrence, aiming to understand its pathogenesis and improve prevention and treatment methods.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 58-year-old male presented to our oral and maxillofacial department with a chief complaint of intense pain on both sides of the mandible, persisting for over 12 days. According to the patient, several months ago, the pain varied from mild to moderate, but recently it has increased dramatically. His medical history revealed enlarged lymphatic nodes on both sides of the neck. Consequently, the patient underwent a surgical procedure under general anesthesia to remove the enlarged nodes, followed by chemotherapy, and then 24 sessions of radiotherapy. After a while, the patient began to experience pain of varying intensity, and ulcers appeared, which increased in size over time.

DISCUSSION

After confirming the diagnosis of osteomyelitis, we identified the radiation and chemotherapy to which the patient was exposed as the primary reason for the worsening of the condition. in addition, the injury to both sides of the mandible indicates two possibilities: the first is that the patient has a predisposition to develop osteomyelitis (due to genetic factors, possible ischemia, etc.), and the second is that radiological doses he received was excessive, combined with the immunodeficiency resulting from chemotherapy, contributed to the condition.

CONCLUSION

Research on jaw osteomyelitis highlights a complex interplay of factors that contribute to the development of this condition. Overall, effective prevention and management strategies should address these diverse causes.

A comprehensive review of pathology and treatment of staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis

Osteomyelitis (OM) is an inflammation of the bone and bone marrow triggered by infectious pathogens which may induce progressive bone destruction. The majority of OM cases, especially the chronic OM cases, are induced by the most prevalent and devastating pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), partially due to its resistance mechanisms against the immune system and antibiotic therapies. Regarding the high rate of morbidity and recurrence in patients, it is pivotal to elucidate underlying mechanisms that how S. aureus enter and survive in hosts. The accumulated discoveries have identified multiple distinct strategies associated with chronicity and recurrence include biofilm development, small colony variants (SCVs), staphylococcus abscess communities (SACs), the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular network invasion (OLCN) of cortical bones, and S. aureus protein A (SpA). Unfortunately, little clinical progress has been achieved for the diagnosis and therapeutic treatment for OM patients, indicating that numerous questions remain to be solved. Therefore, we still have a long way to obtain the clear elucidation of the host-pathogen interactions which could be applied for clinical treatment of OM. In this review, we provide insights of current knowledge about how S. aureus evades immune eradication and remains persistent in hosts with recent discoveries. The common and novel treatment strategies for OM are also described. The purpose of this review is to have in-dept understanding of S. aureus OM and bring new perspectives to therapeutic fields which may be translated to the clinic.

Do not treat ghosts: anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) therapy in osteomyelitis without identified MRSA

Objective

To compare the clinical outcomes of patients with lower limb osteomyelitis (LLOM) and negative methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cultures treated with anti-MRSA therapy (AMT) versus those treated with no-anti-MRSA therapy (NAMT).

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Patients

Hospitalized adult (≥18 yr of age) patients admitted to multiple tertiary referral centers in a single healthcare system between April 1, 2017 and April 1, 2023, with LLOM and planned intravenous antibiotics for at least four weeks.

Methods

Electronic medical records were queried for demographic information, admission dates, treatment strategies, imaging and culture results, and discharge diagnoses. Descriptive statistics measured baseline characteristics, imaging, and culture results.

Results

Out of 473 patients, 64 met the inclusion criteria and 409 were excluded. Of the 64 patients, 26 (40%) had AMT and 38 (59%) had NAMT. A larger but statistically insignificant portion of patients in the NAMT cohort failed therapy (23% AMT vs 32% NAMT, P = 0.325). However, hospital readmission for LLOM within 180 days of antibiotic completion (46.2% vs 47%, P = 0.92), hospital length of stay (median (IQR): 6 (5-9) d vs 7 (5-12.5) d, P = 0.285), incidence of new renal replacement therapy initiation (0% vs 2.6%, P = 0.594), creatinine kinase levels (0 vs 2.6%, P = 0.594), and drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (0% vs 5.3% P = 0.349) were comparable between the two cohorts.

Conclusions

Treatment failure rates and adverse events did not differ significantly among patients with LLOM treated with AMT or NAMT. Further investigation of determinants of clinical failures in LLOM may help optimize overall treatment.

Treatment of High-Grade Chronic Osteomyelitis and Nonunions with PerOssal®: A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Efficacy and Patient Perspectives

Background/Objectives: Traditional autologous bone grafts as a treatment for bone defects have drawbacks like donor-site morbidity and limited supply. PerOssal®, a ceramic bone substitute, may overcome those drawbacks and could offer additional benefits like prolonged, local antibiotic release. This study investigates the clinical and radiological outcomes, including patient-reported outcomes, of using PerOssal® in nonunions (NU) and high-grade chronic osteomyelitis (COM). Methods: A single-center, retrospective study, investigating patients treated with PerOssal® between January 2020 and December 2023. Collected data include patient characteristics as well as various surgical and outcome parameters including the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS). Results: A total of 82 patients were analyzed. Reinfection occurred in 19.5% of cases. Osseous integration of PerOssal® was achieved in 89% of cases, higher in cavitary defects (91.5%) than segmental defects (72.7%). The revision rate was 32.9%, mainly due to wound healing disorders and reinfections. Mean LEFS score was 53.4 which was heavily influenced by sex (male: 50.7 vs. female: 63.4), revision surgery (no: 55.7 vs. yes: 49.1), reinfection (no: 56.6 vs. yes: 39.4), and osseous integration of PerOssal® (yes: 55.8 vs. no: 38.4). Conclusions: PerOssal® demonstrates promising outcomes in treating NUs and high-grade COM, especially in cavitary defects, with high osseous integration rates and acceptable functional results. However, reinfection remains a concern, particularly with difficult-to-treat pathogens and extensive surgical histories. Early, comprehensive surgical intervention and tailored antibiotic strategies are essential. Patient selection, defect characteristics, and comorbidities significantly influence success. Further research is needed to optimize treatment protocols.

Dalbavancin Use in Bone and Joint Infections

Background

Dalbavancin (DAL) off-label use for treating bone and joint infections has increased especially as long-term intravenous access is not needed. Little is known about the effectiveness and safety of its use.

Methods

This retrospective, single-center, descriptive study included adults treated with DAL for bone or joint infections over a 4-year period (2019-2023). Patient demographics, infection type and location, pre-DAL antibiotic and surgical treatments, indication for DAL, and clinical outcomes were collected. Risk factor analysis for 1-year infection recurrence was performed.

Results

There were 58 patient encounters of bone and/or joint infections treated with DAL. The majority of patients were treated for osteomyelitis (81.0%) followed by native (8.6%) and peri-prosthetic (10.4%) joint infection. Fifty (86.2%) patients underwent surgical intervention, and 17 (68%) of the 25 patients with infected hardware had full hardware removal. The most common pathogen identified was Staphylococcus aureus (41; 70.7%), with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated in 23 (40.0%) cases. Ten (17.2%) patients had recurrence within 1 year. Hardware removal was found to significantly decrease the risk of infection recurrence (P = .026). None of the peri-prosthetic joint infection patients had infection recurrence within 1 year.

Conclusions

Our findings support DAL as an effective treatment for bone and joint infection when combined with surgical debridement and hardware removal. Failure to remove infected hardware significantly increased the risk of infection recurrence within 1 year. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further support DAL as a novel treatment for orthopedic infections.

Skull Base Osteomyelitis Due to Staphylococcus epidermidis in the Absence of Indwelling Medical Devices Presenting With Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery Thrombosis

Skull base osteomyelitis (SBO) is a severe and uncommon infection that typically affects the skull base and may arise from undiagnosed otogenic or sinonasal infection. This case describes a rare presentation of SBO, accompanied by thrombosis of the bilateral internal carotid artery with neurological deficits in a resource-limited environment, illustrating diagnostic and management dilemmas. A male patient aged 40 years with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes presented with sudden onset loss of consciousness and worsening right-sided weakness. MRI studies revealed SBO with cerebral involvement with thrombosis in major cerebral arteries and multiple brain infarcts. After receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics and supportive care shortly after admission, the patient developed septic shock and died two days after admission. The fast course of the disease in this case shows how severe SBO and its complications may be, calling for early diagnosis and intensive management of SBO, especially in diabetic patients. The fact that Staphylococcus epidermidis was established as a causative agent of disease in the absence of artificial heart valves or joints, it is becoming clear that there is a need to increase awareness of such rare pathogens, and probably new strategies for handling such infections should be developed. Additional research is required to elucidate the precise role of the pathogen and refine treatment approaches, especially for low-resource healthcare systems.

Advances in the targeted theragnostics of osteomyelitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus

Bone infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus may lead to an inflammatory condition called osteomyelitis, which results in progressive bone loss. Biofilm formation, intracellular survival, and the ability of S. aureus to evade the immune response result in recurrent and persistent infections that present significant challenges in treating osteomyelitis. Moreover, people with diabetes are prone to osteomyelitis due to their compromised immune system, and in life-threatening cases, this may lead to amputation of the affected limbs. In most cases, bone infections are localized; thus, early detection and targeted therapy may prove fruitful in treating S. aureus-related bone infections and preventing the spread of the infection. Specific S. aureus components or overexpressed tissue biomarkers in bone infections could be targeted to deliver active therapeutics, thereby reducing drug dosage and systemic toxicity. Compounds like peptides and antibodies can specifically bind to S. aureus or overexpressed disease markers and combining these with therapeutics or imaging agents can facilitate targeted delivery to the site of infection. The effectiveness of photodynamic therapy and hyperthermia therapy can be increased by the addition of targeting molecules to these therapies enabling site-specific therapy delivery. Strategies like host-directed therapy focus on modulating the host immune mechanisms or signaling pathways utilized by S. aureus for therapeutic efficacy. Targeted therapeutic strategies in conjunction with standard surgical care could be potential treatment strategies for S. aureus-associated osteomyelitis to overcome antibiotic resistance and disease recurrence. This review paper presents information about the targeting strategies and agents for the therapy and diagnostic imaging of S. aureus bone infections.

Chronic Tuberculous Osteomyelitis of Cuboid: A Case Report

Introduction

Tuberculous (TB) osteomyelitis of the foot is a rare entity, often leading to diagnostic challenges due to its atypical presentation and similarity to other foot pathologies.

Case Report

A 19-year-old male presented with persistent pain and discharge in the left foot for 9 months. Despite previous incision and drainage, the condition progressed. Clinical examination revealed a 1 × 1 cm swelling with indurated margins and a discharging sinus. Diagnostic imaging suggested osteomyelitis, confirmed as TB in nature through histopathological examination, revealing caseous necrosis and langerhans giant cells.

Conclusion

This case illustrates the importance of considering TB osteomyelitis in differential diagnoses of chronic foot lesions and highlights the effectiveness of combined surgical and medical management.

Latent Chronic Osteomyelitis Presenting Decades After Initial Trauma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Osteomyelitis is an inflammatory bone process secondary to infection, and often presents as a chronic, recurrent illness, posing diagnostic and treatment challenges. It is frequently the result of previous inadequate treatment or undiagnosed acute infection. Clinical suspicion, thorough evaluation, laboratory studies, and advanced imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) play crucial roles in diagnosis. Treatment typically entails a combination of antibiotics and surgical debridement to eliminate infection and facilitate bone healing. In this report, we present a rare case involving a 64-year-old male who presented with new-onset pain in the right femur decades after experiencing a complicated femur fracture and forearm crush injury. Imaging studies revealed evidence of chronic osteomyelitis, leading to a diagnosis of latent infection. The patient underwent a comprehensive evaluation, including clinical examination, imaging studies, laboratory tests, and bone biopsy, confirming the diagnosis. This case of latent osteomyelitis highlights the clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities, and treatment strategies employed in managing this challenging condition.

A Rare Encounter With Garre's Osteomyelitis of the Proximal Tibia: A Case Report

Garre's osteomyelitis, a rare form of chronic osteomyelitis, primarily affects the metaphyseal regions of long bones. This is frequently noted as an orthodontogenic infection in children and young adults. Dental infections are common underlying etiologies associated with Garre's osteomyelitis. This case of a 47-year-old female describes a rare clinical presentation of proximal tibial-localized Garre's osteomyelitis. The case highlights the diagnostic challenge of Garre's osteomyelitis due to the age at presentation and its management, necessitating a multidisciplinary approach. The patient had a good prognostic outcome, attributable to the precision of the diagnostic modalities and the persistence of the treatment plans available at our tertiary care center. This study clarifies the complex nature of proximal tibia osteomyelitis, highlighting the need for accuracy and persistence in treating this uncommon and difficult orthopedic ailment when presented to individuals in the fourth decade of their lives.

Oritavancin Versus Daptomycin for Osteomyelitis Treatment After Surgical Debridement

INTRODUCTION

Weekly intravenous (IV) oritavancin and daily daptomycin were compared in an outpatient setting following extensive surgical debridement for treating patients with osteomyelitis.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, observational study of patients diagnosed with acute osteomyelitis. Exclusion criteria were the use of Gram-negative antibiotic therapy, use of antibiotics for more than 48 h prior to oritavancin or daptomycin or prior use of > 2 doses of oritavancin or more than 4 weeks of daptomycin. Clinical success was resolution or improvement of symptoms and no further treatment. Data were analyzed with Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS

Consecutive outpatients (n = 150) with acute osteomyelitis who were treated with oritavancin or daptomycin (1:1) following extensive surgical debridement were identified. Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen (n = 117). No patient in either group received prior antibiotic therapy (previous 30 days) or was hospitalized within 90 days prior to surgical debridement. Twenty-one (28%) patients prescribed oritavancin had chronic kidney disease, seven of whom were receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Compared to oritavancin, patients prescribed daptomycin had higher rates of all-cause readmission [odds ratio (OR) 2.89; p < 0.001], more infection-related readmission (OR 3.19; p < 0.001), and greater likelihood of receiving antibiotics post-discontinuation of initial therapy (OR 2.13; p < 0.001). Repeat surgical debridement was required for 68.0% with daptomycin vs. 23.1% with oritavancin (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Oritavancin demonstrated a significantly higher rate of clinical success compared to daptomycin, with lower all-cause and infection-related readmissions, reduced need for repeat surgical debridement, and fewer additional antibiotic requirements.

Isolated cervical Cutibacterium acnes osteomyelitis in a patient with no primary source of infection - A case report and review of the literature

Background

Cervical vertebral osteomyelitis (CVO) is a rare pathology that leads to progressive osseous degradation and eventual loss of bone putting the patient at risk of devastating neurological injury in the event of bony collapse or instability. Cutibacterium acnes formerly called Propionibacterium acnes is rare, but within the last two decades has been an increasingly reported cause of osteomyelitis. The majority of C. acnes vertebral osteomyelitis cases have been reported in patients with a history of prior invasive procedures where direct contamination at the time of procedure was suspected as the underlying etiology.

Case Description

We report a unique case of an otherwise healthy 39-year-old male with no prior history of invasive procedures who presented with CVO secondary to C. acnes. He underwent surgical debridement and fusion in conjunction with antibiotic treatment. The patient recovered well and a 2-year follow-up with serial imaging showed no evidence of disease recurrence.

Conclusion

C. acnes is an under-recognized and under-reported etiology of spine infections. Clinicians should be aware of the pathological potential and atypical presentation of C. acnes vertebral osteomyelitis.

Physical Properties and Antimicrobial Release Ability of Gentamicin-Loaded Apatite Cement/α-TCP Composites: An In Vitro Study

Apatite cement (AC), which has excellent osteoconductive ability, and alpha-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP), which can be used for bone replacement, are useful bone substitute materials. The objective of this study was to clarify the physical properties and antimicrobial release ability of antibiotic-loaded AC/α-TCP composites in vitro. Gentamicin-loaded, rapid setting AC/α-TCP composites were prepared in 2 mixing ratios (10:3 and 10:6). The cement paste of AC/α-TCP composites was prepared in a plastic mold and dried in a thermostatic chamber at 37 °C and 100% relative humidity for 24 h. A diametral tensile strength test, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, and gentamicin release test were performed. The diametral tensile strengths of the AC/α-TCP composites were significantly less than that of AC alone. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns exhibited the characteristic peaks of hydroxyapatite in the AC/α-TCP composites and gentamicin-loaded AC/α-TCP composites. The concentration of the released gentamicin was maintained above the minimum inhibitory concentration of Staphylococcus aureus until Day 30 in both the gentamicin-loaded AC/α-TCP composites (10:3 and 10:6). Our results suggest that a gentamicin-loaded AC/α-TCP composite has potential as a drug delivery system. Further study is essential to investigate the antimicrobial activity and safety of the gentamicin-loaded AC/α-TCP composites in animal models.