Bridging the Infected Defect: Modern Strategies for Canine Fracture‑Related Osteomyelitis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33687/ricosbiol.04.04.114Keywords:
Canine, osteomyelitis, fracture related infection, biofilm, local antibiotic delivery, bacteriophage therapy, Ilizarov technique, infected nonunionAbstract
Fracture‑related bone infection (osteomyelitis) remains a challenging complication in canine orthopaedic surgery. This review synthesizes current evidence on the management of fracture‑related infections (FRIs) in dogs, with emphasis on surgical debridement, implant management, systemic antibiotics, and emerging therapies. The standard of care achieves clinical success in many cases but is limited by biofilm formation. Local antibiotic delivery systems, such as resorbable calcium sulfate beads and antibiotic‑impregnated hydrogels, provide high local drug concentrations. Bacteriophage therapy has shown superior biofilm clearance and callus formation compared to conventional antibiotics in a preclinical canine model. Advanced surgical techniques—circular external skeletal fixation, bone transport osteogenesis, and orthogonal plating with autografts—offer solutions for infected nonunions. This review highlights a multimodal, evidence‑based approach and identifies priorities for future clinical research.
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Data Availability Statement
The data supporting the conclusions of this review are derived from previously published studies, which are cited throughout the manuscript. Any aggregated datasets used for comparative analysis, if applicable, are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Khaled A. Abd El-Razik, Abouelhag H. A.
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