Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in children: Management of pandiaphysitis with extensive bone destruction: A case series of thirteen child.

Introduction: and Importance: Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) poses a public health problem in severe forms from the outset or with delayed diagnosis. The aim of this work is to describe the management of pandiaphysitis with extensive bone destruction by the Ilizarov external fixator and antibiotics and to evaluate the results.

Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional and single-center study. It was performed over a seven-year period. We included children with acute hematogenous osteomyelitis complicated by pandiaphysitis of the long bones with extensive bone necrosis. All patients underwent stabilization with an Ilizarov external fixator and antibiotic therapy adapted to the antibiogram in ten cases. One patient had the induced membrane technique. All the patients underwent dynamization of the Ilizarov external fixator followed by immobilization with a cast or a splint for the lower limb.

Outcomes: 13 medical files were collected during the study period. The sex ratio was 1.6, the average age was 7.56 years. Three localization sites: humerus for 3 cases, femur for 3 cases and tibia for 7 cases. The germ has been identified in ten cases. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus was the most common. Bone consolidation is obtained in all cases with an average delay of ten months.

Conclusion: The Ilizarov external fixator associated with antibiotics has proven its effectiveness in the management of pandiaphysitis with extensive bone destruction. This method is an alternative in the therapeutic arsenal available to pediatric orthopedic surgeons.

Level Of Evidence: IV, Case series.