Pelvic osteomyelitis developing from pressure ulcers

The conclusion from a recent review:

This is one of the largest cohort studies of pressure ulcer-related pelvic osteomyelitis to date, and it reveals many gaps in our understanding of this neglected disease and its management. Concurrent UTI was common, making it difficult to determine the cause for a patient's deterioration and, ultimately, hospitalization, in many cases. Half of all pressure sores were inadequately documented, and significant variation existed in the diagnostic approach to suspected osteomyelitis. Most patients received antibiotic therapy; however, those treated with a combined medical-surgical approach fared better in that they had fewer hospital readmissions over the following year. Future studies should determine the financial and societal impact of pelvic osteomyelitis, develop novel wound documentation tools (eg, colorimetric assays), define reliable and readily measurable outcome parameters, and test multidisciplinary treatment strategies to improve long-term morbidity and prognosis associated with this potentially devastating infection.