Efficacy of continuous local antibiotic perfusion therapy for post-operative infections in frozen bone autografts treated with liquid nitrogen.
Case Report
Liquid nitrogen-treated autografts are used to reconstruct bone defects after wide resection of malignant bone tumours. However, the lack of blood supply makes them prone to infection, which is traditionally treated with systemic antibiotics and infected bone removal. Continuous local antibiotic perfusion (CLAP) therapy, delivering high-dose antibiotics directly to the infection site, is a promising alternative. We present two cases of infection in liquid nitrogen-treated autografts effectively managed with CLAP therapy. Both patients were unresponsive to systemic antibiotics and debridement for over 3 months. A double-lumen nasogastric tube was inserted into the medullary cavity to enable localised antibiotic delivery. CLAP therapy successfully controlled infection, preserved the treated bone and allowed functional recovery. Successful osteomyelitis management after limb-sparing surgery using liquid nitrogen-treated autografts has been difficult to achieve without removing the grafted bone. Our results emphasise the effectiveness of CLAP therapy as a potential method for treating infections without graft removal.
