Chronic osteomyelitis in owo, ondo state – a 2-year experience

A 2-year prospective study of all patients presenting with chronic osteomyelitis at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State was undertaken to determine the clinical presentation and outcome of treatment. There were forty-two patients with a male: female ratio of 1.8:1. The peak age incidence were in the 2nd and 3rd decades of life and the femur was the most commonly involved bone. Twenty-nine patients (69%) were from the lower socio-economic classes. Twenty-two of the 31 patients who patronised traditional bonesetter were from the lower socio-economic classes. The duration of symptoms before presentation ranged from eight months to 14 years. Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism isolated. Eighteen patients had operative treatment while 24 were treated conservatively. Sequestrectomy, saucerisation curettage were the most common procedures with 22% recurrence rate. It is concluded that chronic osteomyelitis is still a disease associated with poverty and ignorance and that patronage of the traditional bonesetter should be discouraged using public enlightenment programmes. Keywords: Chronic osteomyelitis, Bonesetter. Annals of Biomedical Science Vol. 2 (1) 2003: pp. 30-3