Contents

Disclaimer

Oxford University Press makes no representation, express or implied, that the drug dosages in this book are correct. Readers must therefore always check the product information and clinical procedures with the most up to date published product information and data sheets provided by the manufacturers and the most recent codes of conduct and safety regulations. The authors and the publishers do not accept responsibility or legal liability for any errors in the text or for the misuse or misapplication of material in this work. Except where otherwise stated, drug dosages and recommendations are for the non-pregnant adult who is not breastfeeding.

Show Summary Details
Page of

Bone and periprosthetic joint infections in older adults 

Bone and periprosthetic joint infections in older adults
Chapter:
Bone and periprosthetic joint infections in older adults
Author(s):

Werner Zimmerli

and Parham Sendi

DOI:
10.1093/med/9780198701590.003.0083
Page of

PRINTED FROM OXFORD MEDICINE ONLINE (www.oxfordmedicine.com). © Oxford University Press, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford Medicine Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

date: 25 July 2021

Most bone and joint infections are more prevalent in older adults, mainly because of their decreasing host defence and their increasing comorbidity. The main challenge is rapid diagnosis of such infections, because they often manifest with only subtle signs and symptoms in older adults. In this population, the prevalence of vertebral osteomyelitis, diabetic foot osteomyelitis, pressure ulcer osteomyelitis, and periprosthetic joint infections is increasing. For all these infections, rapid diagnostic work-up is needed, because prognosis, including the functional outcome, depends on early and adequate treatment. However, in older adults, quality of life is also crucial. Therefore, in frail individuals, a palliative procedure (e.g. lifelong suppressive therapy) should be sometimes preferred to curative treatment requiring burdening surgical interventions.

Access to the complete content on Oxford Medicine Online requires a subscription or purchase. Public users are able to search the site and view the abstracts for each book and chapter without a subscription.

Please subscribe or login to access full text content.

If you have purchased a print title that contains an access token, please see the token for information about how to register your code.

For questions on access or troubleshooting, please check our FAQs, and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us.