Results of treatment of chronic osteomyelitis by "gutter procedure and muscle flap transposition operation".

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of creation of a gutter and muscle flap transposition method for the treatment of long-bone chronic osteomyelitis.

Patients And Methods: A total of thirty chronic osteomyelitis patients (thirty-one extremities), who had undergone the gutter creation and muscle flap transposition procedure between 2005 and 2009, were included in the study (19 male, 11 female; mean age 24.4 years; age range 2-75 years). Osteomyelitis of the long bones involved the femur in 13 patients, the tibia in 13, the humerus in 2, the fibula in 2 and the ulna in 1 patients, respectively. All the patients received post-operative antibiotic therapy of at least 6 weeks. The mean follow-up period was 28.7 months (6-53 months). At the end of this follow-up period, the patients were evaluated using clinical, laboratory and screening methods.

Results: Complete pain relief, disappearance of toxic symptoms, improvement in radiological findings, fistula closure and return of the blood parameters to normal ranges were accepted as successful treatment when all the afore-mentioned had been fulfilled. According to these criteria, 29 of the 30 patients had been cured.

Discussion: The gutter creation and muscle flap transposition method in the treatment of long-bone chronic osteomyelitis may be a successful mode of therapy when performed correctly and supported by long-term antibiotherapy.