Application of antibiotic-loaded bone cement in treating lower limb soft tissue infection

Abstract

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of antibiotic-loaded bone cement in the treatment of lower limb soft tissue infection.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 40 patients with lower limb soft tissue infection who were admitted to Sichuan Orthopedic Hospital from January 1, 2022 to December 1, 2023. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups according to different therapies, including the bone cement treatment (the study group) group and the conventional treatment group (the control group), with 20 cases in each group. Further comparison was made on the number of operations, wound healing time, Grade-A wound healing rate, recurrence rate, and recovery rate of inflammatory indicators between the two groups.

Results: Patients in both groups were followed up, and there was no statistically significant difference in the number of operations between the two groups (P>0.05). The study group had shorter wound healing time (P<0.05), higher Grade-A wound healing rate (P<0.05), lower recurrence rate (P<0.05), and higher normal rate of inflammatory indicators (P<0.05) than those in the control group.

Conclusion: Antibiotic-loaded bone cement showed a clear effect on treating lower limb soft tissue infection, with good wound healing and low recurrence rate.

Keywords: Antibiotic-loaded bone cement; Lower limb; Soft tissue infection.

Fig.1

Preoperative and postoperative images of a typical patient. A: Preoperative appearance, with infected limb incision, rupture and pus discharge, B: Subcutaneous soft tissue infection and necrosis during intraoperative debridement, with a large amount of pus substance, C: Thorough debridement and filling of the residual soft tissue cavity with vancomycin-loaded bone cement, D: Primary suture of the surgical incision, with further placement of drainage tube, E: Wound healing and suture removal two weeks after operation, F: Removal of the implanted bone cement four weeks after incision healing and suture removal, G: Good healing of the incision and preparation for suture removal two weeks after the removal of bone cement, H: Surgical appearance during the follow-up at three months after operation.