Gentamicin-loaded plaster of Paris as a treatment of experimental osteomyelitis in rabbits.

In this study, implantation of gentamicin-loaded plaster of paris after a debridement of the marrow cavity was tested in rabbits with established Staphylococcal osteomyelitis. The animals were observed for clinical and roentgenographic signs of infection after killing. The infections were evaluated by bone cultures and antibiotic levels. The implanted antibiotics alone resulted in only two of ten culture-proven cures. However, clinical and roentgenographic data showed overall improvement in the treated group as compared to controls. A valuable feature of gentamicin-loaded plaster of paris, warranting further investigation, is the elimination of dead space while the antibiotic is locally absorbed by the tissue fluids.