[Results of the surgical treatment of chronic hematogenous osteomyelitis of the tibia. A series of 122 cases].

Between 1968 and 1987 the authors treated 122 cases of chronic haematogenous osteomyelitis of the tibia by operation. The procedures used were drilling, sequestrectomy, and saucerisation, with bone resection in 2 cases. Operation was combined with chemotherapy for between 10 and 60 days. Eleven patients, thought to be healed, were lost to follow-up after 4 months. The remainder were reviewed for between 4 and 288 months, 97 for more than one year. After the first operation 102 patients healed completely, while 20 relapsed. Of these, 12 were treated by further operation and 8 by drainage of the abscess. Two patients relapsed twice and another 4 times. When last seen 110 patients were healed, 6 had an intermittent discharge and 6 had a permanent sinus. Special features of chronic osteomyelitis of the tibia are discussed, including destructive lesions of the knee and tibio-tarsal joints, a high incidence of axial deformity, indications for particular surgical approaches, the use of cancellous grafts and arguments against bone resection. The lesions carry a relatively good prognosis.