Abstract
Summary
Detailed roentgenographic, pathologic, and bacteriologic findings of a widely used rabbit model of staphylococcus osteomyelitis have not been reported. We induced post-traumatic staphylococcus tibial osteomyelitis in 25 young New Zealand rabbits. Abscesses formed at sites of inoculation, and infection spread contiguously, both superiorly and caudally to eventually involve the entire tibia. An outer advancing zone of edema was followed by an inflammatory mid-zone and a proximal zone of abscess. Progressive bony destruction produced pathologic fractures, sequestra, and involucra. By the 20th day of infection, the entire bony architecture was replaced by contiguous abscesses. Serial xeroradi-ographs correlated well with progressing pathologic findings. A definitive radio-graphic diagnosis was possible on the fifth day of infection.
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