Osteomyelitis

What is it?

Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone. It can occur in any bone. In children, it is most common in the long bones of the legs and arms. In adults, osteomyelitis most commonly affects the bones of the spine. Although rare, it is a serious condition. Bones can become infected when an infection in another part of the body spreads through the bloodstream and into the bone. It can also occur from an open fracture or surgery. The infection can be caused by bacteria, fungi, or other organisms. Osteomyelitis can be either acute or chronic.

Symptoms

Symptoms associated with vertebral osteomyelitis will depend on the location and severity of the infection. It may cause any of the following symptoms:

  • Back pain
  • Excessive sweating
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Pain, swelling, redness, and warmth around the area of infection

Diagnosis

Vertebral osteomyelitis is difficult to diagnose, and doctor may order X-rays, blood tests, an MRI, bone scans, or even a biopsy to fully understand the condition.

Treatment

After the diagnosis is confirmed, the treatment starts with antibiotics, which can help bring the infection under control and often make it possible to avoid surgery. More serious or chronic osteomyelitis requires surgery to remove the infected tissue. Osteomyelitis surgery prevents the infection from spreading further and endangering the patient’s life. In certain cases, the surgeon may need to perform a spinal fusion to ensure the spinal column is stable after surgery. During a procedure, the spine surgeon may replace the infected bone with new one, and allow the bones to fuse together.