Acute, Subacute and Chronic Infectious Osteomyelitis;its Pathology and Treatment

Pediatric chronic osteomyelitis in the outskirts of Al-Ushbuna (Carnide, Lisboa, Portugal)

“…In the few paleopathological cases of pediatric chronic osteomyelitis, the involvement of different bones seems to be the rule, with a slight preponderance of the tibia (see Table 1). A study of pediatric acute hematogenous osteomyelitis in the Coimbra Identified Skeletal Collection (and the Coimbra University Hospital records) suggests that the lower limb bones were the most affected in pre-antibiotic populations (Santos and Suby, 2015; see also Amberg and Ghormley, 1934;Homans, 1912;Nichols, 1904).…”

“…In the past, osteomyelitis was highly prevalent in children (e.g., Amberg and Ghormley, 1934;Homans, 1912;Nichols, 1904;Wade, 1929;Wakeley, 1932). Curiously, the diagnosis of osteomyelitis in archeological contexts is relatively uncommon, particularly pediatric osteomyelitis, with few cases reported in the paleopathological literature (Ortner, 2003;Flensborg et al, 2013;Lewis, 2007;Santos and Suby, 2015; Table 1).…”

Bone reconstruction: A history of vascularized bone transfer

“…Pedicled bone transfers emerged as an alternative for bone defects that did not heal with non‐vascularized bone grafts throughout the early to mid 20th century. In 1904 Nichols was the first to report success with the pedicled fibula flap, using it for ipsilateral reconstruction in a series of patients with tibial non‐unions and chronic osteomyelitis (Nichols, ). This was the first true regional bone flap reported in the literature and was subsequently popularized by Huntington (1849–1929) in his famous orthopedic work “ Case of bone transference.…”

Experimental Bone Transplantation

“…Replacement of bone grafts and repair of bony defects are effected by pro¬ liferation of bone from the periosteum and the endosteum. Nichols (1904) stated that repair of a bony defect occurs by proliferation of epithelioid cells from the periosteum, accompanied by blood vessels, and by pro¬ liferation from the layer of cells lining the inner surface of the cortex (endosteum). Bonome (1885), in studying fractures in rats, found that bone in the immediate vicinity of the fracture died.…”