QUOTE(Conroe @ Apr 1 2012, 04:20 PM)
First of all,i would like to thank TS to bringing up this thread which would be very usefull.Thumbs up!
Any ortho specialist or doctors here?
I am a T8-T9 burst fractured complete paraplegic for 10yrs.I've suffered alot with pressure ulcer/besores.Recently i went to see a doctor to verify what's wrong with my previous wound on buttock that've been silent awhile but started to produce discharge/puss again.After xray,he said i've got osteomyelitis because of some fractures on ischial bone,i begged for differ because i don't think it's osteomyelitis and the cause of it could be because i am fully wheelchair depended therefore might be i bumped too hard while sitting/transferring myself to bed,car etc.I am really worried to proceed with that doctor because he didn't even did a test on the discharge and simply saying it's osteomyelitis.Now the wound seems opened up more and there quite alot of discharge of puss,sometimes fever on and off/nausea.So here's my xrays,i hope someone could advise me.
2005 -Beforehttp://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/43/10534434.jpg/2011 -Currenthttp://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/17774300.jpg/http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/836/40945227.jpg/Hey there, from your xrays, it does look like there's some erosion on the ischial bones.
If you're fully wheelchair bound and have been coming in and out of pressure ulcers, then you really are MORE LIKELY to get an extension of the infection from the skin/fat/muscle into the bones.
To diagnose osteomyelitis, there really is no need to take a sample of your discharge to make a diagnosis.
Diagnosis is made mostly on xrays.
The only reason why we would take a sample of your discharge is to see what organisms will grow and what antibiotics will respond to it.
If you're having a lot of discharge, and you're already having fever with nausea. you really need to get it treated. Your bones doesnt look badly eroded now. Dont let it get worse. Get it treated asap.
After you're done with the treatment and and good skin coverage over your buttock area, you have to be really strict with your 2 hourly turning.
I would assume you've lost sensation from around your umbilicus all the way down to your toes. Therefore, you wouldn't know when your pain receptors are firing from all the damage caused by constant compression of your skin against your bones when you sit for prolonged hours. Even if there is no pain and you feel awesome and ready to take the world by storm, 2 hourly turning is really really important.
I've a granny who left the ward with grade 1 bed sores and came back 2 weeks later with grade 4 bed sore. that's just two weeks. turns out her daughter didnt follow the 2 hourly turning instruction.
hope this bit will help.