What does bone marrow infection mean?

Bone marrow infection is actually the occurrence of osteomyelitis, which is mostly caused by mycobacteria and fungi. Once discovered, it must be treated actively, otherwise it can be very harmful and can cause deformities, joint stiffness, cancer, etc., and may even be life-threatening. In addition, we must actively take preventive measures in our daily lives, deal with the infection in a timely manner after discovering it, and pay attention to our diet. We should not eat spicy and irritating foods, especially not drink alcohol.

1. What does bone marrow infection mean?

Osteomyelitis is an infection and destruction of bone that can be caused by aerobic or anaerobic bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi. Osteomyelitis often occurs in the long bones, the feet of diabetic patients, or at the site of penetrating bone injury caused by trauma or surgery. The most common site in children is the metaphysis of well-vascularized long bones, such as the tibia or femur.

2. Causes of Bone Marrow Infection

Infections are caused by blood-borne microorganisms (hematogenous osteomyelitis); spread from infected tissue includes infection of joint replacements, contaminated fractures, and bone surgery. The most common pathogens are Gram-positive bacteria. Osteomyelitis caused by gram-negative bacteria may occur in drug addicts, patients with sickle cell disease, and patients with severe diabetes or trauma. Fungal and mycobacterial infections are often confined to the bone and cause painless, chronic infections. Risk factors include wasting diseases, radiation therapy, malignancy, diabetes, hemodialysis, and intravenous drug use. In children, any process that causes bacteremia may predispose to osteomyelitis.

Complications of bone marrow infection

1. Deformity

Due to the stimulation of inflammation on the epiphysis, the affected limb grows excessively and becomes longer, or due to the destruction of the epiphyseal plate, the development is affected, resulting in limb shortening, one side of the epiphyseal plate is destroyed, the development is asymmetrical, and the joint becomes varus or valgus deformed; due to soft tissue scar contracture, flexion deformity may also occur.

2. Joint ankylosis

As the infection spreads into the joints, the articular cartilage surface is destroyed, causing the joints to become fibrous or bony ankylosis.

3. Cancer

The skin at the sinus opening may become cancerous due to constant irritation, the most common of which is squamous cell carcinoma.

4. Prevention of Bone Marrow Infection

1. Furuncles, boils, sores, carbuncles and upper respiratory tract infections are the most common infectious diseases and are most likely to lead to secondary infections and cause hematogenous osteomyelitis. Therefore, preventing the occurrence of furuncles, sores, carbuncles and upper respiratory tract infections is very important for preventing the occurrence of osteomyelitis.

2. Traumatic infection, including infection after tissue damage and infection after bone damage, is also a common cause of osteomyelitis. Therefore, we should pay attention to active prevention in daily life.

3. Infectious diseases should be detected early and treated promptly.

4. The first thing to do for open fractures is to prevent infection. Once infection occurs in an open fracture that has been fixed internally and spreads to the medullary cavity, the inflammatory infection often spreads to both ends along the intramedullary nail. Infection may also form under the skin at the site where the intramedullary nail enters or exits. Once this occurs, special attention should be paid to removing the internal fixation device first to control the infection.