Osteomyelitis:
Osteomyelitis is a common bone infection caused by bacteria or in some cases, fungus [1]. Osteomyelitis generally occurs by infection of bacteria in several different ways, including via the bloodstream, from neighboring areas of infection, or due to non-sterile joint replacements and internal fixations such as fractures [2]. In 90% of cases, an S. aereus bacterium is the microbial culprit responsible for osteomyelitis [3]. In the cases of open would fractures, osteomyelitis can interfere with normal bone healing and regeneration [4]. Symptoms of osteomyelitis include bone pain, fever, malaise, swelling, redness, chills, excessive sweating, and joint pains [5]. It is reported that in 20% of the cases, the infection is hematogenous, or spread by the blood [6]. The incidence of spinal osteomyelitis was reported to be 1 in 450,000 in 2001 [7]. The incidence of vertebral osteomyelitis is reported to be 24 cases per 1,000,000 and the incidence in children is approximately 1 in 5,000 [8]. Approximately 10-15% of people with vertebral osteomyelitis develop spinal-cord compression and approximately 30% of patients with long bone osteomyelitis develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT) [9]. Mortality rates are generally low unless sepsis occurs [10]. The overall incidence of osteomyelitis was found to be higher in developing countries compared to developed nations [11].
Current Clinical Standard of Care:
The current gold standard treatment for osteomyelitis is gentamycin or vancomycin impregnated poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) beads [12]. These beads are surgically implanted at the site of bacterial infection, and the antibiotic will diffuse from these beads [12].
Both vancomycin and gentamycin inhibit bacterial g...
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..., the in vivo studies show that the effectiveness of the delivery system in terms of bacterial growth inhibition is comparable to the clinical standard of care, the PMMA beads. Further studies would include determining the compressive strengths of the PUR scaffolds to decide where they could be placed in a load-bearing setting, systemic toxicity studies to ensure that neither the vancomycin nor PUR is present in toxically high concentrations in the serum after implantation, and a prolonged study to show that the PUR scaffold is in fact biodegradable, thereby by-passing the second surgical step which is required for the PMMA beads. Li et al [21] also did not do any studies comparing the PUR-LTI and PUR-HDIt scaffolds under the same experimental conditions. These studies would also be critical to determine which scaffold formulation should be pursued long-term.
Dear Aunt Sally, as woman reach menopause, the estrogen in their body rapidly declines. Our bones are constantly remolding themselves all through life. As estrogen is a necessary hormone in bone development, the onset of menopause and subsequent loss of estrogen can be catastrophic for our skeletal system. The bone loss starts off as Osteopenia.
Meanwhile, a study made by Palmer found that inhaled antibiotics used as adjunct to systemic antibiotic therapy has proven to improve the clinical outcome of patients with MDR VAP (6). The study also showed a direct relationship between antibiotic resistance with the se of systematic antibiotics. Aerosolized antibiotic used in this study that are proven to be effective are: amikacin, colistin, ceftazidime, gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomycin, and yancomycin.
Clinical Infectious Diseases, 49(3), 438-443. Doi:10.1086/600391. See full address and map. Medicare.gov/Hospital Compare - The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare (n.d).
Osteoporosis is a condition, in which bones are weak from deterioration, loss of bone mass, and quality-bone strength. Osteoporosis usually triggers postmenopausal women (women who have not had their period for a whole year), or older men and women. Some risks both older men and women endure when experiencing Osteoporosis are decrease of calcium and bone fractures. These symptoms or effects can all be caused by weight loss, smoking, age, ethnicity, genetics, medications, bone structure, and certain diseases that can later on contribute to Osteoporosis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoporosis may be prevented by going to drug therapy to stop alcoholism and smoking, a sufficient amount of calcium intake, and exercising; such as jogging, walking,
There is no single way of contracting necrotizing fasciitis. One patient reported that he caught it while he was at the beach and may have scraped his skin. There are some cases that have been reported after bug or dog bites. We have also seen confirmed drug users who got the infection but declared they didn’t know how the bacteria could have entered their body. There have been numerous cases where injection of illicit drugs can produce infections that present with signs of a simple cutaneous abscess and yet unpredictably evolve into an extensive necrotizing soft tissue infection 1.
Normal skin has many types of bacteria living on it. Cellulitis can occur in anyone. Increases risk factors include: Diabetes, cracks or peeling skin between toes, skin wounds/trauma, chronic lower leg edema, Athletes foot, insect bites/stings or bites from animal or human, obesity, corticosteroid medications or medications that suppress the immune system , poor leg circulation (peripheral...
Osteoporosis is a bone disease of that causes a decrease in bone mass. In osteoporosis the bones become weak and fragile. Since the bone mass is decreased, the bones have more of chance of fractures. The bone is continuously breaking down by cells which is known as osteoclasts and rebuilding by other cells known as osteoblasts. Osteoporosis happens once the reabsorption causes the bones to reach a fracture threshold. Any fall or lifting action that would not ordinarily bruise or strain the common person would break one or additional bones in somebody with severe osteoporosis. “Women of fair, freckled complexion with blonde or reddish hair, and women from northwest European background have a higher incidence of osteoporosis than the general population” (Rosdahl, 2012, p.1248). Osteoporosis most commonly happens in postmenopausal women. Some risk factors include age, menstrual status, smoking, sedentary lifestyle caffeine use, and alcohol consumption.
Bone infection can be as serious condition where bacterial invades the bone. This can be through the bloodstream or by the bacteria entering through the outer surface of the leg. Left untreated, or if the bacteria does not respond to other treatment, damage to the local blood supply may occur. Certain disease processes can contribute to the likelihood and seriousness of bone infection. If the infection is treated unsuccessfully by other means, surgery may be recommended. The infected area of bone is where the cut is made and the infected area removed.
This will lead to larger perforations on skin and perhaps pain for the patient when applied. Furthermore, the breaking of blood vessels can lead to thrombosis which may cause further complications with drug delivery. Moreover, since the microneedle-array size changes, it must be durable enough to withstand mechanical stresses when applying the patch. This may change the design and material of the microneedle-array patch. It must have higher mechanical strength while remaining biocompatible on initial contact. Also, it must not exhibit toxic degradation products when used. Further research is needed to understand how vesicles can react with a change in the environment from an allergic reaction. For example, the release of histamines can trigger a reaction for the vesicle to disassociate and release epinephrine and antihistamines, similar to how oxygen consumption creates a hypoxic environment in which the GRVs can disassociate to release
Another critical nutrient for healthy bones is magnesium, which helps peoples’ bodies absorb calcium, neutralize metabolic acids, and support a robust bone structure. A body that is growing needs the support of magnesium when it comes to treating osteoporosis. Magnesium can help with the constipating effect that calcium has, when taking it with calcium supplements (Bauer 1). Beans, sweet potatoes, beans, cashews, spinach, and brown rice give a lot of magnesium.
... antibiotic resistance has quickly become an increasing concern in recent times due to the growing use of antibiotics. To combat this problem, we propose that healthy intestinal floras be maintained after antibiotic resistance using fecal bacteriotherapy, and that processes of lateral gene transfer be disrupted before antibiotic resistance through the use of copper surfaces and after antibiotic resistance through synthesized CSPs. Continuing research in these solutions as well as implementing these strategies into mainstream medicine will certainly reduce the frequency of antibiotic resistance along with incidences of serious disease outbreaks in hospitals. With a better understanding of the causes of antibiotic resistance and the role that patients and doctors play in these causes, it is time to move forward and attempt to eradicate this problem once and for all.
The big picture. Where the two schools of medicine differ is in philosophy. Doctors of osteopathy "treat people, not just symptoms," says Karen Nichols, dean of the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. "The course list looks exactly the same, but the M.D.'s focus is on discrete organs. The osteopathic focus is that all of those pieces are interrelated. You can't affect one with out affecting another." That means paying more than simple lip service to the idea of the "whole" patient: It means that diagnosis and treatment rely on an examination of a person's environment and family and general situation as well as his or her body. Not surprisingly, about 65 percent of the nation's 52,000 licensed osteopaths (by comparison, the country boasts at least 900,000 M.D.'s) are primary-care physicians. The American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine has a description of osteopathic training, as well as short profiles of 20 schools, at www.aacom.org. The D.O. programs and their contact information are listed in the directory section of this book.
These infections are often associated with improper catheterization techniques. Surgical site infections occur after surgery in the part of the body where the surgery took place. These infections may involve the top of the skin, the tissue under the skin, organs, or blood vessels. Surgical site infections sometimes take days or months after surgery to develop. The infections can be caused by improper hand washing, dressing change technique, or improper surgery procedure.
Osteomalacia can sometimes cause extremely low levels of calcium in the blood. Theoretically, low levels of calcium in the blood can lead to muscle spasms, cramps or even seizures. Osteomalacia as I stated before is usually caused by a lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D is very important to the body as it regulates the bone-building process and the way the body handles calcium and phosphate which are used in the formation of strong, hard bones. Vitamin D deficiency though may be harmful is actually very common, and must be severe and prolonged for osteomalacia to develop. Vitamin D deficiency also leads to muscle weakness, and is very common in the UK in which it affects about 1 in 6 adults overall.
Osteoporosis is a condition of decreased bone mass. This leads to fragile bones which are at an increased risk for fractures. In fact, it will take much less stress to an osteoporotic bone to cause it to fracture. The term "porosis" means spongy, which describes the appearance of osteoporosis bones when they are broken in half and the inside is examined. Osteoporosis or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to bone fragility and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist.