Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Cranial Osteomyelitis pp 311–317Cite as

Preventive Measures Against Cranial Bone Infection

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 491 Accesses

Abstract

Skull bone osteomyelitis is believed to be a difficult and challenging entity to diagnose and manage correctly. Most cases occur as a consequence of paranasal sinusitis, otomastoiditis or secondary to surgical site infections. Fortunately, cranium osteomyelitis and its causes remain preventable and treatable although there is no perfect method for the prevention of this infectious disease. Appropriate treatment of conditions and causes that may lead to cranial osteomyelitis in addition to surgical prophylactic measures are the best way to “close the doors” to microorganisms invasion. The aims of this chapter is to present preventive measures against cranial bone infection including prevention of contiguous sites of cranial infection, neurosurgical prophylactic procedures, measures taken following scalp injury, and nursing implication.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Kombogiorgas D, Solanki GA. The Pott puffy tumor revisited: neurosurgical implications of this unforgotten entity. Case report and review of the literature. J Neurosurg. 2006;105(2 Suppl):143–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Betz CS, Issing W, Matschke J, Kremer A, Uhl E, Leunig A. Complications of acute frontal sinusitis: a retrospective study. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2008;265(1):63–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Oxford LE, McClay J. Complications of acute sinusitis in children. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2005;133(1):32–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Ali A, Kurien M, Mathews SS, Mathew J. Complications of acute infective rhinosinusitis: experience from a developing country. Singapore Med J. 2005;46(10):540–4.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Clayman GL, Adams GL, Paugh DR, Koopmann Jr CF. Intracranial complications of paranasal sinusitis: a combined institutional review. Laryngoscope. 1991;101(3):234–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Salomão JF, Cervante TP, Bellas AR, Boechat MC, Pone SM, Pone MV, de A Pereira B. Neurosurgical implications of Pott’s puffy tumor in children and adolescents. Childs Nerv Syst. 2014;30(9):1527–34. doi:10.1007/s00381-014-2480-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Niv A, Nash M, Slovik Y, Fliss DM, Kaplan D, Leibovitz E, Katz A, Dagan R, Leiberman A. Acute mastoiditis in infancy: the Soroka experience: 1990–2000. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2004;68(11):1435–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Rubin J, Yu VL, Kamerer DB, Wagener M. Aural irrigation with water: a potential pathogenic mechanism for inducing malignant external otitis? Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1990;99(2 pt 1):117–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Sander R. Otitis externa: a practical guide to treatment and prevention. Am Fam Physician. 2001;63(5):927–36, 941–2.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Gallagher PG. Osteomyelitis of the skull after varicella infection. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1990;29(1):29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Nabavi A, Knerlich-Lukoschus F, Stark AM. Postoperative intracranial infections. In: Hall WA, Kim PD, editors. Neurosurgical infectious disease. Surgical and nonsurgical management. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers; 2014.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Akhaddar A. Infective complications. In: Di Rocco C, Turgut M, Jallo G, Martinez-Lage DJF, editors. Complications of CSF shunting in Hydrocephalus. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cushing H. Concerning the results of operations for brain tumor. JAMA. 1915;64:189–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Chiang HY, Steelman VM, Pottinger JM, Schlueter AJ, Diekema DJ, Greenlee JD, Howard III MA, Herwaldt LA. Clinical significance of positive cranial bone flap cultures and associated risk of surgical site infection after craniotomies or craniectomies. J Neurosurg. 2011;114(6):1746–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Korinek AM, Golmard JL, Elcheick A, Bismuth R, van Effenterre R, Coriat P, Puybasset L. Risk factors for neurological site infections after craniotomy: a critical reappraisal of antibiotic on 4578 patients. Br J Neurosurg. 2005;19(2):155–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Bratzler DW, Dellinger EP, Olsen KM, Perl TM, Auwaerter PG, Bolon MK, Fish DN, Napolitano LM, Sawyer RG, Slain D, Steinberg JP, Weinstein RA, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP); Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA); Surgical Infection Society (SIS); Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Clinical practice guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2013;14(1):73–156. doi:10.1089/sur.2013.9999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Pons VG, Denlinger SL, Guglielmo BJ, Octavio J, Flaherty J, Derish PA, Wilson CB. Ceftizoxime versus vancomycin and gentamicin in neurosurgical prophylaxis: a randomized, prospective, blinded clinical study. Neurosurgery. 1993;33(3):416–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Gyssens IC. Preventing postoperative infections: current treatment recommendations. Drugs. 1999;57(2):175–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Whitby M, Johnson BC, Atkinson RL, Stuart G, Brisbane Neurosurgical Infection Group. The comparative efficacy of intravenous cefotaxime and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole in preventing infection after neurosurgery: a prospective, randomized study. Br J Neurosurg. 2000;14(1):13–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Dempsey R, Rapp RP, Young B, Johnston S, Tibbs P. Prophylactic parenteral antibiotics in clean neurosurgical procedures: a review. J Neurosurg. 1988;69(1):52–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. McClelland SIII, Hall WA. Postoperative central nervous system infection: incidence and associated factors in 2,111 neurosurgery cases. Clin Infect Dis. 2007;45(1):55–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Alves RV, Godoy R. Topical antibiotics and neurosurgery: have we forgotten to study it? Surg Neurol Int. 2010;1:pii: 22. doi:10.4103/2152-7806.64966.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Abdullah KG, Attiah MA, Olsen AS, Richardson A, Lucas TH. Reducing surgical site infections following craniotomy: examination of the use of topical vancomycin. J Neurosurg. 2015;19:1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Savitz MH, Malis LI, Savitz S. Topical antibiotics in neurosurgery: a re-evaluation of the Malis technique. Br J Neurosurg. 2000;14(1):69–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Thompson P, Houston S. Decreasing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus surgical site infections with chlorhexidine and mupirocin. Am J Infect Control. 2013;41(7):629–33. doi:10.1016/j.ajic.2012.09.003.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Kallen AJ, Wilson CT, Larson RJ. Perioperative intranasal mupirocin for the prevention of surgical-site infections: systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2005;26(12):916–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Rasmussen S, Ohrström JK, Westergaard L, Kosteljanetz M. Post-operative infections of osteoplastic compared with free bone flaps. Br J Neurosurg. 1990;4(6):493–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Lal S, McCutcheon IE. Infection after craniotomy. In: Hall WA, McCutcheon IE, editors. Infections in neurosurgery. Park Ridge, IL: The American Association of Neurological Surgeons; 2000.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Allison RT. Foreign body reactions and an associated histological artefact due to bone wax. Br J Biomed Sci. 1994;51(1):14–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Gibbs L, Kakis A, Weinstein P, Conte Jr JE. Bone wax as a risk factor for surgical-site infection following neurospinal surgery. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2004;25(4):346–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Wellisz T, An YH, Wen X, Kang Q, Hill CM, Armstrong JK. Infection rates and healing using bone wax and a soluble polymer material. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2008;466(2):481–6. doi:10.1007/s11999-007-0067-5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Magyar CE, Aghaloo TL, Atti E, Tetradis S. Ostene, a new alkylene oxide copolymer bone hemostatic material, does not inhibit bone healing. Neurosurgery. 2008;63(4 Suppl 2):373–8. doi:10.1227/01.NEU.0000316859.03788.44. discussion 378.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  33. Wellisz T, Armstrong JK, Cambridge J, Fisher TC. Ostene, a new water-soluble bone hemostasis agent. J Craniofac Surg. 2006;17(3):420–5. doi:10.1227/01.NEU.0000316859.03788.44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Akhaddar A, Boulahroud O, Naama O, Al-Bouzidi A, Boucetta M. Paraspinal textiloma after posterior lumbar surgery: a wolf in sheep’s clothing. World Neurosurg. 2012;77(2):375–80. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2011.07.017.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Akhaddar A, Boucetta M. In reply. World Neurosurg. 2014;82(1–2):e384. doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2012.12.022.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Jankowitz BT, Kondziolka DS. When the bone flap hits the floor. Neurosurgery. 2006;59(3):585–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Niazi T, Quinoñes-Hinojosa A, Schmidt MH. Management of brain abscesses associated with halo fixation. Neurosurg Focus. 2008;24(6):E14. doi:10.3171/FOC/2008/24/6/E14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Garfin SR, Botte MJ, Triggs KJ, Nickel VL. Subdural abscess associated with halo-pin traction. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1988;70(9):1338–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Uppal HS, Issa F, Byren I, Johnson D. A case of pancalvarial osteomyelitis: diagnosis and management. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2010;63(2):e159–60. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.05.015.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Shehu BB, Mahmud MR, Ismail NJ. Neurosurgical infections. Niger J Surg Res. 2006;8(1–2):1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  41. Goodrich JT. Cranioplasty. In: Albright AL, Pollack IF, Adelson PD, editors. Principles and practice of pediatric neurosurgery. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers; 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  42. Staffenberg DS, Strauch B. Plastic surgery wound coverage for the neurosurgery patient. In: Goodrich JT, Staffenberg DS, editors. Plastic techniques in neurosurgery. 2nd ed. New York: Thieme Medical Publishers; 2004.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Phillips K. Osteomyelitis of the skull. J Neurosurg Nurs. 1982;14(5):280–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Ameh EA, Wammanda RD, Sabiu L. Complications of scalp vein infusion in infants. Trop Doct. 2005;35(1):46–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Lane JE, Lane JE, Feltes CH, Johnston KW, Stephens JL, Kent DE. Osteomyelitis of the outer calvarial plate after dermatologic surgery: a case report and review of the literature. Dermatol Surg. 2006;32(9):1182–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery Avicenne Military Hospital of Marrakech, University of Mohammed V in Rabat, Marrakech, Morocco

    Ali Akhaddar

Authors
  1. Ali Akhaddar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Akhaddar, A. (2016). Preventive Measures Against Cranial Bone Infection. In: Cranial Osteomyelitis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30268-3_16

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30268-3_16

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-30266-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-30268-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation