[Outcome in therapy of hand infections--are there differences between East and West Germany?].

In 564 patients treated at the University of Magdeburg Medical School, we evaluated the timing of surgical intervention and the use of systemic antibiotics and their influence on recovery and treatment results. Special attention was paid to the question if there are any differences between East- and West-German treatment results. While early surgical intervention and radical débridement are the most important factors for complete recovery, differences in the availability and use of antibiotics did not play a significant role in results.