Acute Hand Infections
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CURRENT CONCEPTS Acute Hand Infections Meredith Osterman, MD, Reid Draeger, MD, Peter Stern, MD CME INFORMATION AND DISCLOSURES The Review Section of JHS will contain at least 3 clinically relevant articles selected by the Provider Information can be found at http://www.assh.org/Pages/ContactUs.aspx. editor to be offered for CME in each issue. For CME credit, the participant must read the Technical Requirements for the Online Examination can be found at http://jhandsurg. articles in print or online and correctly answer all related questions through an online org/cme/home. examination. The questions on the test are designed to make the reader think and will occasionally require the reader to go back and scrutinize the article for details. Privacy Policy can be found at http://www.assh.org/pages/ASSHPrivacyPolicy.aspx. The JHS CME Activity fee of $30.00 includes the exam questions/answers only and does not ASSH Disclosure Policy: As a provider accredited by the ACCME, the ASSH must ensure fi include access to the JHS articles referenced. balance, independence, objectivity, and scienti c rigor in all its activities. Disclosures for this Article Statement of Need: This CME activity was developed by the JHS review section editors Editors and review article authors as a convenient education tool to help increase or affirm fl reader’s knowledge. The overall goal of the activity is for participants to evaluate the Ghazi M. Rayan, MD, has no relevant con icts of interest to disclose. appropriateness of clinical data and apply it to their practice and the provision of patient Authors care. All authors of this journal-based CME activity have no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose. In the printed or PDF version of this article, author affiliations can be found at the Accreditation: The ASSH is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical bottom of the first page. Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. Planners AMA PRA Credit Designation: The American Society for Surgery of the Hand designates Ghazi M. Rayan, MD, has no relevant conflicts of interest to disclose. The editorial and “ ä” this Journal-Based CME activity for a maximum of 2.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits . education staff involved with this journal-based CME activity has no relevant conflicts of Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation interest to disclose. in the activity. Learning Objectives ASSH Disclaimer: The material presented in this CME activity is made available by the Describe the predisposing factors for acute hand infections. ASSH for educational purposes only. This material is not intended to represent the only List the common microorganisms that cause acute hand infections. methods or the best procedures appropriate for the medical situation(s) discussed, but Appraise the antibiotic management and mode of administration for each acute rather it is intended to present an approach, view, statement, or opinion of the authors hand infection. that may be helpful, or of interest, to other practitioners. Examinees agree to participate Offer surgical treatment strategies for various acute hand infections. in this medical education activity, sponsored by the ASSH, with full knowledge and Discuss treatment outcomes and complications of acute hand infections. awareness that they waive any claim they may have against the ASSH for reliance on any information presented. The approval of the US Food and Drug Administration is required Deadline: Each examination purchased in 2014 must be completed by January 31, 2015, to for procedures and drugs that are considered experimental. Instrumentation systems be eligible for CME. A certificate will be issued upon completion of the activity. Estimated discussed or reviewed during this educational activity may not yet have received FDA time to complete each month’s JHS CME activity is up to 2 hours. approval. Copyright ª 2014 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved. The continued emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the development of only a few new classes of antibiotics over the past 50 years have made the treatment of acute hand in- fections problematic. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important, because hand stiffness, contractures, and even amputation can result from missed diagnoses or delayed treatment. The most common site of hand infections is subcutaneous tissue and the most common mecha- nism is trauma. An immunocompromised state, intravenous drug abuse, diabetes mellitus, and steroid use all predispose to infections. (J Hand Surg Am. 2014;39(8):1628e1635. Copyright Ó 2014 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. All rights reserved.) Current Concepts Key words Flexor tenosynovitis, infection, MRSA, necrotizing fasciitis osteomyelitis. From Mary S. Stern Hand Fellow, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cincinnati Corresponding author: Meredith Osterman, MD, Mary S. Stern Hand Fellow, 538 Oak College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH. Street, Ste. 200, Cincinnati, OH 45219; e-mail: [email protected]. Received for publication March 17, 2014; accepted in revised form March 25, 2014. 0363-5023/14/3908-0035$36.00/0 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhsa.2014.03.031 No benefits in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article. 1628 r Ó 2014 ASSH r Published by Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved. ACUTE HAND INFECTIONS 1629 REATMENT OF ALL INFECTIONs requires the ini- close, prolonged contact with others (military recruits, tiation of antibiotics. Increased organism re- prison inmates, and homeless individuals).5,6 sistance to antibiotics has complicated this T ’ aspect of patients treatment. Specimens of infected ANTIBIOTICS tissue should be sent for aerobic and anaerobic cul- The choice of antibiotic treatment depends on the tures. If chronic hand infection is suspected, fungal type and severity of infection, host factors, clinical and atypical mycobacterium cultures should be sent presentation, and regional infectious epidemiology. in addition to staining for acid-fast bacteria. Hand The high prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant or- fi fi infections can be super cial or deep. Super cial in- ganisms necessitates initial broad-spectrum antibiotic fections can often be treated with antibiotics alone, coverage. Consultation with the infectious disease except in cases of necrotizing fasciitis, for which team can help and is encouraged, especially in pa- early surgical intervention is imperative. Surgical tients with antimicrobial allergies, immunocom- irrigation and debridement in conjunction with anti- promised states, unusual presentations, or atypical biotic treatment are usually necessary for deep or organisms. severe infections. Short-term splinting is also helpful, Intravenous antibiotics are recommended for bone despite the type or severity of infection. or flexor tendon sheath infection. Septic arthritis re- Prompt diagnosis and early treatment are neces- quires between 1 and 4 weeks of intravenous antibi- sary, because hand function can be compromised otics, and osteomyelitis requires 6 to 8 weeks. with missed diagnoses. The most common site of Oral antibiotics are appropriate for skin or other hand infections is the dorsal subcutaneous tissue and superficial soft tissue infections. The typical course the most common mechanism is trauma, such as e 1 is 14 to 21 days. Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole penetrating injuries or bites. The virulence of the covers 90% of community acquiredeMRSA and can organism, the local and systemic host factors, and the be used in conjunction with rifampin. Our current anatomical location all have a role in the severity e 2 recommendation is for 2 double-strength trimethoprim and progression of hand infections. An immuno- sulfamethoxazole tablets twice daily. Clindamycin and compromised state, intravenous drug abuse, diabetes fl fi 1 cipro oxacin are also good rst-line agents, especially mellitus, and steroid use all predispose to infections. if the patient has a sulfa allergy, but they have 50% These patients require more operative procedures to and 40% resistance to ca-MRSA, respectively. Once eradicate the infection and are more likely to go on fi 2 cultures con rm methacilin sensitive Saureus,the oral to amputation. Ischemia from microvascular disease regimen can be transitioned to cephalexin or amoxicillin or from trauma disrupts the blood supply to the tis- (Tables 1, 2). sue, preventing host factor bacterial eradication and limiting exposure to antibiotics. CELLULITIS Cellulitis is an infection of the skin and subcutaneous COMMON ORGANISMS tissue without accompanying abscess formation. Pa- Staphylococcus aureus and beta-hemolytic streptococci tients present with an erythematous, swollen, and pain- are the most common bacterial culprits of acute hand ful hand. Associated lymphangitis, when present, may infections.3 Up to 60% of hand infections result from indicate a more severe infection. Presumptive antibiotics to S aureus.1 Although the infectious organism is most should cover the most common causative organisms, often a gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative, myco- Streptococcus pyogenes and S aureus. Although cellu- bacterial, or fungal organisms can also cause chronic litis may occur in any area of the body, hand cellulitis 4 has a higher likelihood of requiring hospital admission infections. Over half are polymicrobial. Patients with 7 infections caused by mixed bacterial flora,