ABSTRACT
Osteomyelitis is a condition that has existed for thousands of years. Today, even with modern technology, the prevalence of osteomyelitis is increasing. Many patients are surviving lifethreatening war injuries only to have a battle with a limb-threatening infection. The offending bacterial organisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis, are becoming more difficult to treat as antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains evolve (1). The existence of antibioticresistant bacterial strains ensures that osteomyelitis will continue to be a challenging condition for limb reconstruction surgeons to treat. This chapter discusses the current classifications of osteomyelitis, the treatment options, and the surgical techniques that can be used to treat different stages of osteomyelitis and infected nonunions.
