Definition of infection after fracture fixation: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials to evaluate current practice

Metsemakers, Wilhelmus; Kortram, K; Morgenstern, M; Moriarty, TF; Meex, I; Kuehl, R; Nijs, Stefaan; Richards, RG; Raschke, M; Borens, O; Kates, SL; Zalavras, C; Giannoudis, PV; Verhofstad, MHJ

doi:10.1016/j.injury.2017.02.010

Definition of infection after fracture fixation: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials to evaluate current practice

Author:

Metsemakers, Wilhelmus

Kortram, K ; Morgenstern, M ; Moriarty, TF ; Meex, I ; Kuehl, R ; Nijs, Stefaan ; Richards, RG ; Raschke, M ; Borens, O ; Kates, SL ; Zalavras, C ; Giannoudis, PV ; Verhofstad, MHJ

Keywords:

Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Critical Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Orthopedics, Surgery, General & Internal Medicine, Definition of infection after fracture fixation, Infectious complications, Internal fracture fixation, Definition, Infection after fracture fixation, DYNAMIC COMPRESSION PLATE, SURGICAL SITE INFECTION, SLIDING HIP SCREW, EXTRAARTICULAR TIBIAL FRACTURES, MIDSHAFT CLAVICLE FRACTURES, LATERAL MALLEOLAR FRACTURES, DOSE ANTIBIOTIC-PROPHYLAXIS, ILIZAROV EXTERNAL FIXATION, OPEN REDUCTION, INTERNAL-FIXATION, Fracture Fixation, Fractures, Bone, Humans, Osteomyelitis, Practice Patterns, Physicians', Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Surgical Wound Infection, 1103 Clinical Sciences, 1110 Nursing, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences, 3202 Clinical sciences, 3203 Dentistry, 42 Health sciences

Abstract:

One of the most challenging musculoskeletal complications in modern trauma surgery is infection after fracture fixation (IAFF). Although infections are clinically obvious in many cases, a clear definition of the term IAFF is crucial, not only for the evaluation of published research data but also for the establishment of uniform treatment concepts. The aim of this systematic review was to identify the definitions used in the scientific literature to describe infectious complications after internal fixation of fractures. The hypothesis of this study was that the majority of fracture-related literature do not define IAFF.