Orthopedic surgery related infections; study of antibiotic resistance and associated comorbidities

Interventions in the field of orthopedics and traumatology involve more and more the frequent use of osteosynthesis materials and prostheses. Therefore, an increasing number of patients live with these implants, having an increased risk in comparison to the general population to develop complications. Although technological developments have brought this change for the better, it must not be forgotten that these foreign materials come with certain risks, the most feared being the associated infections.

For this article, we conducted an epidemiological study on infections identified in patients treated in the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department of University Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, from 01.01.2016 to 01.06.2019. We were able to extract data about patients without neglecting their confidentiality.

The information sought, primarily involved the pathogen causing the infection and its antibiogram, but at the same time we tried to build a more accurate history of each patient in order to determine the cause of infection and the risks posed by various associated pathologies. During these 4 years we were able to identify 139 patients who suffered an infection in the musculoskeletal system. In most cases we identified unimicrobial infections, but there were 7 cases in which two pathogens were identified.