Fracture-Related infection - the role of the surgeon and surgery in prevention and treatment

Abstract

Fracture-related infection (FRI) is a complication that impacts care costs, quality of life, and patient function. Great strides have been made in the last decade to obtain a common language for definition and diagnosis with the contribution of the Fracture-Related Infection Consensus. Although FRI treatment requires the participation of clinical specialists in infectious diseases for the management of antibiotics, it is necessary to understand that this complication is an eminently surgical pathology. The orthopedic surgeon must play a leadership role in the prevention and treatment of this complex disease. In this review, the most relevant aspects of prevention are updated, and a strategy for a sequential and comprehensive approach to the patient with this complication is presented.