Treatment of chronic osteomyelitis in Africa with plaster implants impregnated with antibiotics

: Nineteen African patients with osteomyelitis were treated by curettage of the lesions and packing of the bone cavities with plaster of Paris pellets containing antibiotics (Fucidin and Amoxycillin). Of 18 patients followed, 16 showed wound healing in an average of 3 to 6 weeks. Eight patients had regular roentgenographic examinations during a minimum of two months. In six of these patients, healing of the lesions and a significant osteogenic reaction were observed. The plaster pellets were resorbed in 3 to 6 weeks in all patients, and no signs of rejection were noted. In spite of insufficient follow-up due to medical conditions in Africa (Zaire), the study confirms the advantages of this simple treatment of osteomyelitis in underdeveloped countries.