2. This can be divided in to two types
General complications
Local complications
General complications
Child may develop septicemia and pyemia in
early stage
Uncontrolled may prove fatal
3. Local complication
It is unfortunate that a large number of cases of
acute osteomyelitis in developing countries develop
serious complications.
Most of these are because of delay in diagnosis and
inadequate treatment.Some of the common
complications are as follws:
Chronic osteomyelitis
Commonest complication of acute osteomyelitis.
There are hardly any radiological features in the
early stage.
Delay in diagnosis leads to sequestrum formation
and pent-up pus in the cavities inside the bone.
Poor host ressistance is another reason for the
chronicity of the disease.
4. Acute pyogenic arthritis
This occurs in joints where metaphysis is intraarticular
Eg: the hip (upper femoral metaphysis), the
shoulder (upper humeral metaphysis)
Pathological fracture
This occurs through a bone which has been weakened
by the window made during surgery.
It can be avoided by adequately splinting the limb.
Growth plate disturbances
It may be damaged leading to complete or partial
cessation of growth.
This may lead to shortening lengthening or deformity
of limb.
