OSTEOMYELITIS OF THE HAND AFTER A HUMAN BITE

Twenty-four cases of osteomyelitis of the hand after human bite were r eviewed. The mechanism of injury was equally divided between incisor b ites and clenched fists. Eleven of twelve of the clenched-fist injurie s showed a tooth mark in the bone or cartilage at the site of inoculat ion. The incisor bites showed initial infection of the soft tissues or joint with a secondary infection of the bone. Factors leading to the development of osteomyelitis included a delay of more than 24 hours be fore debridement or inadequate initial treatment. Bacteriologic study commonly showed mixed infections with skin and oral flora. The infecti ons were prone to relapse, and nine patients required more than one su rgical debridement.