Osteomyelitis Specialist

What is osteomyelitis?

Osteomyelitis is a bacterial or fungal bone infection that can start in the bone after an injury. The infection can also spread into your bone from your bloodstream or nearby tissues.

If not appropriately treated, the infection interferes with blood circulation through your bone, and bone death can occur.

The infection can also spread into surrounding bones and joints and cause open sores that increase your risk for developing squamous cell skin cancer.

What are the risk factors for osteomyelitis?

Your risk for osteomyelitis increases if you have surgery to treat a puncture wound or a serious bone fracture. The procedure can allow germs into your body that cause an infection.

You might also be at increased risk for osteomyelitis if you smoke or have a circulation disorder like peripheral artery disease or poorly controlled diabetes. These conditions cause damage to your blood vessels, making it more difficult for your body to keep infections from worsening.

What are the symptoms of osteomyelitis?

You can have osteomyelitis without experiencing any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they can be similar to many other underlying health conditions.

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers if you have bone pain and unexplained symptoms like:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Swelling
• Redness
• Pain at the infection site

You should seek medical attention if you develop these symptoms after surgery or know you have an existing infection in another area of your body.

How is osteomyelitis diagnosed?

To diagnose an infection in your bone, South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers offer on-site blood work services, X-rays, and other imaging tests.

Your provider might also perform a bone biopsy, removing a small sample of bone for testing. This helps the team understand what type of infection you have, so they can customize a plan to treat it.

How is osteomyelitis treated?

While osteomyelitis was once an incurable condition, the South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers team has extensive experience treating the infection and reducing your risk for serious complications.

The standard treatment for osteomyelitis is surgery to remove damaged or infected parts of your bone. The surgeons might also need to drain excess fluids or pus out of the bone and restore blood flow to your bone using a bone or soft tissue graft.

If you have concerns about osteomyelitis symptoms, schedule a diagnostic evaluation online or call the South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers office nearest you today.