A man with a chronic bone infection after fracture surgery in Argentina had the infection controlled with antibiotic bone cement and the bone covered with a tissue flap; his wound closed and he walks again

Care team

Director Xie Julin of the Department of Burns & Wound Repair led the team, and Professor Zhu Jiayuan guided the treatment. Chief Physician Hu Zhicheng and Dr Cao Xiaoling treated the patient. Head Nurse Xie Xiaoxia led the nursing team.

The patient

A man working in Argentina broke his shinbone in several places and had surgery there. Afterwards his wound kept leaking and breaking down, and he was diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitis with a chronic draining wound.

Why it was difficult

Bacteria had settled in the bone, which routine wound cleaning rarely clears. Several further operations abroad had not healed the wound.

What the team did

The team prepared the wound bed and placed antibiotic bone cement to control the infection. Once the infection was under control, they moved a flap of tissue with its own blood supply over the exposed bone.

Outcome

The wound closed fully, the fracture healed and he walked again.