Introduction to osteomyelitis in children

Acute osteomyelitis involving long bones is the most common presentation of osteomyelitis in children. It is caused by haematogenous seeding of bacteria to the well-vascularised metaphyseal bone adjacent to the physis (growth plate) in the setting of a bloodstream infection. Long bones are mostly located in the appendicular skeleton and include bones in the lower limbs (eg tibia, fibula, femur) and upper limbs (eg radius, ulna). The most common sites of osteomyelitis in children are the femur and tibia.