The following is the summary of “Antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate for the treatment of pediatric hematogenous osteomyelitis” published in the December 2022 issue of Pediatrics by Tao, et al.

Calcium sulfate, infused with antibiotics, is highly effective as a curative treatment for chronic osteomyelitis. However, more research needs to be done to determine whether or not it is effective in curing hematogenous osteomyelitis in children. Within the context of the treatment of juvenile hematogenous osteomyelitis, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate in bringing about a cure. 21 pediatric patients who were diagnosed with hematogenous osteomyelitis and received treatment at their  institution between the years 2018 were included in this study. 

Analyses were performed on the clinical history, the clinical manifestation, infection recurrence rate, sinus leakage, incision leakage, pathological fractures, bone growth, and surgical treatments. At a minimum of 31 months (range: 31–91 months), there was not a single instance of the infection returning among the 21 patients who were followed up. One pediatric patient was discovered to have leakage from a postoperative incision. 

One of the pediatric patients exhibited signs of osteolysis. In one pediatric child, there was a noticeable acceleration in bone growth. In one pediatric child, there was a slowdown in the progression of bone growth. One of the patient’s children was diagnosed with genus valgus deformity. In pediatric hematogenous osteomyelitis, the curative impact of antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate was good, despite the occurrence of problems that were not caused by an infection.

Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-022-03791-4