A comparison of the vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation versus fenestration decompression for the treatment of sclerosing osteomyelitis

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy of vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation and fenestration decompression in the treatment of sclerosing osteomyelitis. METHOD: A retrospective analysis for 46 cases of sclerosing osteomyelitis were admitted to our department between June 2010 to June 2020. Twenty-one patients were treated with fenestration decompression, twenty-five patients were treated with vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation. The postoperative hospital stay, days of drainage tube placement, visual analogue scale scores, C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The visual analogue scale scores of both groups were significantly lower than before treatment (p < 0.05), but the difference between them was not statistically significant. Patients treated by vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation had shorter postoperative hospital stay and days of drainage tube placement compared to those treated by fenestration decompression (p < 0.05). C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in both groups were significantly lower than before treatment, but the improvement effect of vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation was better (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both treatment methods can relieve pain effectively. Compared with fenestration decompression, vancomycin calcium sulfate implantation can shorten the treatment time effectively, control the infection better.