To evaluate devascularized bone surface culture for identification of microorganisms for osteomyelitis.

A prospective study was conducted to include the eligible patients who were diagnosed with osteomyelitis and treated at Division of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital from December 2021 to January 2023. Their infected bone tissues were collected for both bone sample culture (BSC) and general sample culture (GSC). For BSC, the devascularized bone fragments, harvested intraoperatively, were put flat on sterile culture plates with solidified agar, their surface was gently covered with cooled and molten tryptone soy agar, and then the plates with bone samples were incubated at 37 ℃ with 5% CO₂. Meanwhile, 5 suspected samples of infected bone tissue were randomly harvested by 5 independent instruments for laboratory GSC. The culture time, bacterial species, and bacterial positive rate were compared between the 2 culture methods.

Included were a total of 73 patients [59 males and 14 females with an age of 49.0(31.0, 58.5) years]. The culture time for BSC [1 (1, 1) d] was significantly shorter than that for GSC [3 (2, 3) d], and the total positive rate of BSC [78.1% (57/73)] was significantly higher than that of GSC [61.6% (45/73)] (P<0.05). The bacterial species cultured by GSC were consistent with those cultured by BSC.

In identification of microorganisms for osteomyelitis, since BSC may be quicker and lead to a higher positive rate of bacterial culture than GSC, it can be used as an optional choice besides GCS.

Osteomyelitis; Bone and bone tissue; Culture techniques; Bacteria