Injury
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Fracture-related infections (FRIs) are a challenging complication in orthopaedics. Standard of care management for FRIs typically involves prolonged antibiotic therapies, irrigation and debridement (I&D) of the fracture site, and retention of fracture-fixation implants with or without exchange. Unfortunately, this treatment regimen is associated with treatment failure rates of up to 38 %, such that improved preventive and therapeutic interventions are needed. ⋯ This model consistently resulted in clinical signs of local infection, compromised wound healing, radiographic evidence for delayed bone healing and implant loosening, and implant-associated biofilm formation. Importantly, MRSA was isolated from deep tissue cultures in all dogs, and histological assessments detected bacteria and bacterial biofilms associated with all fracture-fixation implants at the study endpoint. These clinical, radiographic, bacteriologic, and histologic outcomes in conjunction with the capabilities for standard of care interventions, such as antibiotic treatment and I&D, verify that this preclinical canine model for early onset FRI effectively replicated the pathology associated with this commonly encountered complication of orthopaedic trauma.