Radial osteomyelitis as a complication of venous cannulation

Venepuncture of the superficial veins in the forearm is considered a relati vely safe procedure. We report two patients who presented with osteomyeliti s of the proximal radius following venous cannulation of the median cubital vein, and one patient who developed osteomyelitis of the distal radius aft er cannulation of the cephalic vein. Osteomyelitis developing in proximity to a venepuncture site should raise the suspicion that a pathogen causing s uperficial thrombophlebitis has spread through the deep veins of the arm in to the adjacent bone, thus causing osteomyelitis.