Fever after three surgeries for an infection!?

Question

Ok, I had 3 surgeries on my tibia for an infected gash that went all the way to my bone. I was in the hospital for 7 days and just got out of the hospital on Friday. Now I have a fever. Is this ok? I am on antibiotics for my infection. The infection was staph.

Answer 1

Bone infection, also called osteomyelitis, is an infection of the bone and bone marrow Osteomyelitis occurs in both children and adults, and can affect any bone in the body. If untreated, it can cause permanent bone deformity. Children usually have an acute form of the disease, while adults are more likely to have chronic osteomyelitis.


Treatment for both forms of osteomyelitis includes high doses of antibiotics to rid the body of bacteria. Additional treatment such as draining an open wound or abscess, or surgery to remove infected or dead bone tissue, may be necessary for some people
Pus formed in the infected bone sometimes drains through a sinus tract and breaks through the surface of the skin, causing an open, draining wound


Causes
The bacteria or other microorganisms that cause osteomyelitis can enter the bone through an injury such as yours; or can be carried through the bloodstream to the bones from another infection in the body. Although bones are usually well-protected against infection, they can become infected in several ways. Bacteria can enter the bone through an open fracture, penetration by a sharp, contaminated object (such as a nail that pierces through a shoe), orthopedic surgery, or a human bite. The infection can also be carried to the bones in the bloodstream from another part of the body where an infection is present. This type of infection is known as hematogenous osteomyelitis, and is the most common form of the disease in children



Staphylococcus aureus is the bacterial organism that causes most cases of osteomyelitis S. aureus is the primary cause of osteomyelitis among people of all ages, although other bacteria can be involved, including Group A and B Streptococcus, Hemophilus influenzae, Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, and Salmonellae.


Symptoms
Fever, bone pain, swelling, and redness over the infection site are symptoms of acute osteomyelitis. A fever is one of the early symptoms of osteomyelitis, and may precede or follow the pain that develops in the infected area of bone. Swelling, redness, warmth, and tenderness also occur over the infected bone, and may occur in nearby joints such as the knee, making movement painful


So your fever is a normal reaction of your body's natural defenses to thwart off the infection. infection and thus fever is a common complication from a trauma or orthopedic surgery or from any surgery for that matter. While recuperating from the invasive surgeries of debridement; you should take antipyretics for the fevers; drink a lot of fluids and water to avoid dehydration as fever can cause dehydration from sweating.


Pain is the foremost symptom of chronic osteomyelitis . Chronic osteomyelitis can persist for weeks, months, or years, although there will be times when the patient does not experience any symptoms. When symptoms are present, they include bone pain, fatigue, general discomfort or an ill feeling, recurring infections in the soft tissue above the bone, and an open, draining wound caused when pus formed in the infected bone breaks through the surface of the skin.


Orthopedic surgery and the use of orthopedic prosthetic devices such as an artificial knee or hip can also increase the risk of osteomyelitis. Surgery involving bones and joints increases the risk of osteomyelitis because of the possibility of introducing bacteria from the hospital setting. Introducing a foreign object into the body (i.e., a bullet, or a tool during surgery) poses an additional risk


You can take steps after a short hospital stay to make sure your treatment continues to be effective. You may be sent home while still receiving intravenous medication, or when you are able to take oral antibiotics. Once at home, you should continue taking medication as directed and rest in bed until several weeks after the symptoms disappear. Various medical devices are available that allow you to undergo IV drug therapy at home, if necessary, with therapy monitored either by visits to a physician's office or clinic, or by home health care nurses.



Recovery from osteomyelitis usually requires extended periods of bed rest. During the time you spend in bed rest, you should maintain some level of activity to prevent bed sores from developing. As vigorous activities may interfere with recovery, or harm the infected area, normal activities should be resumed gradually according to your doctor's advice. Pain relievers may be taken as needed, following the recommendation of your doctor


Cases of chronic osteomyelitis that involve recurrent infections and wound drainage despite antibiotic treatment may require a surgical technique called complete surgical debridement. Complete surgical debridement involves a series of surgeries over several days, during which all infected bone and tissue is removed. The space where dead tissue was removed is filled with healthy bone, muscle, or skin, and steps will be taken to re-establish the blood supply to the area. High doses of antibiotics are given before and after treatment to fight infection


Most patients recover with no long-term complications if osteomyelitis is diagnosed promptly and treated adequately.

Prognosis

The prognosis for patients with chronic osteomyelitis depends on the success of the surgery and antibiotic treatment. The success of treatment for chronic osteomyelitis depends largely on the surgeon's ability to remove all of the dead bone and damaged tissue. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to determine during surgery whether all of the affected bone and tissue has been removed. If it is not, lingering bacteria may cause recurrent infections that require more antibiotic treatments and further surgery. Amputation may be necessary if the infection cannot be cured