%0 Journal Article %T Do Antibiotic Beads Need to be Removed? %J The Archives of Bone and Joint Surgery %I Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iranian Society of Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy and Sports Tramatology,Iranian Orthopaedic Association %Z 2345-4644 %A Fernando, Navin %A Werner, Shawn %A Elhaddad, Moamen %A Davies, Jonah %A Firoozabadi, Reza %D 2020 %\ 07/01/2020 %V 8 %N 4 %P 502-505 %! Do Antibiotic Beads Need to be Removed? %K Antibiotics %K antibiotic beads %K Antibiotic resistance %K Fracture %K Infection %R 10.22038/abjs.2020.44143.2208 %X Background: Polymethylmethacrylate antibiotic impregnated beads can be an effective treatment for chronicosteomyelitis or an adjuvant in the treatment of open fractures. It remains unclear however whether the beads causelong-term adverse events if not removed. The purpose of this study was to determine if removal of antibiotic beads wasrequired in order to avoid long term complications.Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with an extremity or pelvis fracture that hadimplantation of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) antibiotic beads over a five-year period.Results: Fifty-one patients met inclusion criteria for this study; thirty-seven patients (73%) did not have complicationsafter surgical debridement and placement of PMMA antibiotic beads necessitating removal.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that polymethylmethacrylate antibiotic beads can be utilized as a means of deliveringhigh-dose concentrations of local antibiotics and do not have to be removed in all patients.Level of evidence: III %U https://abjs.mums.ac.ir/article_16110_9c43f560fe4b918748ce1d269344d874.pdf