Plantar puncture wounds in children: analysis of 80 hospitalized patients and late sequelae.

BACKGROUND

Puncture wounds in the feet of children present a clinical dilemma.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate our approach, we reviewed the charts and all available images of 80 children admitted to our institution because of plantar punctures from 1988 to 1999.

METHODS

The charts of 80 children were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULTS

Three groups of patients were found: 59 with superficial cellulitis, 11 with retained foreign bodies, and 10 with osteoinyelitis and/or septic arthritis. There was a significant presentation delay in patients from the second and third groups. Most common organisms were Staphylococcus aureus or Group A Streptococcus. Of the 80 children, 34 were treated surgically and 46 were treated with antibiotic therapy alone. All patients with osteomyelitis and septic arthritis were re-examined; at follow-up, all but one were asymptomatic apart from residual radiologic sequelae in four.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with an established infection 24-36 hours after a plantar puncture should be admitted to hospital for parenteral antibiotic therapy. Delayed presentation is a significant marker for deep-seated infection. Further infection or relapse after initial improvement suggests the presence of osteomyelitis or a retained foreign body. A bone scan is advisable in all patients with suspected osteomyelitis: a positive bone scan necessitates aggressive early debridement combined with appropriate antibiotics; while negative bone scan, X-ray and exploration suggest that the infection is due to a foreign body, which can be detected by computed tomography.