USE OF ANTIBIOTIC-PMMA BEADS IN THE ISCHEMIC FOOT

Thirty-six patients with 44 ischemic foot infections were managed with antibiotic-polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) beads. Most of these patient s received gentamicin-impregnated PMMA beads but tobramycin and vancom ycin-impregnated PMMA beads were used on three patients. Angiopathy oc curred in 35 patients secondary to diabetes and secondary to renal dis ease in 2; 1 patient had both diabetes and renal disease. The most com mon bacteria was Staphylococcus aureus (82%), although other organisms and multiple bacteria were present. In spite of the variability of th e bacteria, PMMA beads were helpful in managing foot infections in thi s difficult patient population.