Surveillance of infection in fractures of extremities treated with internal fixation

Abstract

Infection is a major problem in orthopaedics quite often leading to implant failure. The aim of the study is to determine the outcome of infection after internal fixation of fractures and the risk for non-union in infected fractures. We evaluated 34 patients with 34 fractures that were infected after internal fixation to be followed up in this study from August 2017 to December 2018. At final follow up the surveillance showed satisfactory results in 31 (91.2%) cases and the rest 03 (8.8%) had an unfavourable outcome in terms of Non Union and persistent infection. Of the 34 patients enrolled in the study, 22 had sound bony union at the time of presentation. Of the 12 fractures which had not progressed to union, 9 eventually united. Only 3 patients showed no clinical or radiological signs of union at the end of the study. Of the 3 patients who did not achieve union by the end of the study only 1 continued to be infected. Infection persisted in 2 patients in spite of achieving good union. Statistical analysis showed association of the surgery-infection interval and the type of microorganism identified. Late infections had a higher chance of failure in culture. Infection when intervened and adequately treated does not quite appear to interfere with the process of union.