The nurse is caring for a client with skeletal traction and is suspecting osteomyelitis. Which clinical indicators are consistent with osteomyelitis? (Select all that apply.)
1. Fever
2. Petechiae
3. Tachycardia
4. Leukocytosis
5. Pin site drainage
6. Peripheral paresthesias
1, 3, 4, 5
1 and 4. Osteomyelitis is a bone infection and is very serious and difficult to treat. Clinical indicators of osteomyelitis are similar to any infection including fever, ta-chycardia, leukocytosis, and wound drainage. Fever associated with infection devel-ops from the immune system response to a pathogen. The immune response includes release of inflammatory cytokines (such as interferons, interleukins, and tumor ne-crosis factor) and pathogen-destroying cells such as macrophages. As well, the im-mune response increases leukocyte production and release to help destroy the patho-gen.
3. Tachycardia occurs with infection as the body vasodilates to cool the body. Vaso-dilation can cause the blood pressure to drop; and, as a compensatory mechanism to hypotension, the myocardium increases its rate to maintain a steady cardiac output.
5. Drainage from a wound site is a classic sign of osteomyelitis because an opening in a wound accommodating wound drainage provides a mode of entry for pathogens and, if the wound is proximal to bone, direct access to bone tissue.
2. Petechiae are not associated with osteomyelitis.
6. Paresthesias, tingling and numbness, are associated with neurovascular impairment.
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