Terminology of bone and joint infection.

Abstract

Bone & Joint ResearchVol. 10, No. 11 InfographicOpen AccessOpen Access licenseTerminology of bone and joint infectionCrossmarkMarkus Rupp, Nike Walter, Susanne Baertl, Siegmund Lang, David W. Lowenberg, Volker AltMarkus RuppConsultantMarkus Rupp. E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected]https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7221-3783 Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany Search for more papers by this author, Nike WalterResearch Associatehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-0654-2076 Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany Search for more papers by this author, Susanne BaertlResident Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany Search for more papers by this author, Siegmund LangResident Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany Search for more papers by this author, David W. LowenbergClinical Professor Department for Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford Medical School, Redwood City, California, USA Search for more papers by this author, Volker AltDirector and Chairmanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0208-4650 Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:17 Nov 2021https://doi.org/10.1302/2046-3758.1011.BJR-2021-0371AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to Favourites ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail Musculoskeletal infections are common and often difficult to treat.1,2 Their diagnostics and treatment are an integral part of the daily clinical routine of every orthopaedic and trauma surgeon. Diagnostics and first treatment approaches are often initiated prior to referrals to a specialized centre. Treatment algorithms in the field of musculoskeletal infections, based on clinical and experimental empiricism, promise successful treatment courses in many cases,3-5 although a considerable proportion of bone and joint infections are characterized by treatment failure, for a variety of reasons.6The basic prerequisite for the initiation of correct diagnostics, and thus consecutive best possible therapy, is the correct terminology of individual bone and joint infections. A variety of terms exists to describe bone and joint infections. Osteomyelitis, implant-associated infection, fracture-related infection (FRI), and infected nonunion denote bone infections. Joint infections are described by periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and septic arthritis, with its synonyms of supportive and infectious arthritis. In the spine, a distinction can be made between implant-associated vertebral osteomyelitis and hematogenous spondylodiscitis according to the aetiology. Even among experts in the field, terms are interchanged and used synonymously. It often appears to be difficult to arrive at exact definitions, which naturally limits the understanding of optimal treatment. For FRI and PJI, diagnostic criteria have been developed, and in the case of PJI those criteria have been continuously improved and are still the subject of scientific discussion.7-9To lay the foundation for optimal therapy using the correct terminology of the underlying condition, this infographic presents the hallmarks of bone and joint infections and diagnostic criteria.