A new technique developed at Rambam for diabetes patients targeted for partial foot amputations: cement spacers containing antibiotics

Dr Eyal Melamed, a senior physician in Rambam’s Orthopedics B Department and its "Foot and Ankle Service", recently returned from a yearly conference of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society in Washington. At the conference, Dr Melamed presented his collaborative work with Dr Eli Peled, assistant director of Rambam’s Orthopedics B Department on attempts to treat patients with diabetic foot and bone infections (osteomyelitis) by using a cement spacer impregnated with antibiotics. The method was developed at Rambam by Dr Eyal Melamed along with Orthopedics B physicians Dr Eli Peled, Dr Sergei Salman and department Director Dr Doron
Norman.

Dr Eyal Melamed                                                                           Ra’anan Tal ©

 According to Dr Melamed, this technique represents a true breakthough. “The significance of the use of the cement spacer lies in its ability to slowly release antibiotics at strong local concentrations,” says Dr Melamed. “No less important is the fact that the cement stabilizes tissue in cases that demand the widespread removal of infected bone. Before the cement technique, such bone amputations would lead to a lack of stability in the tissue, and ultimately to gangrene.”

In the USA, this project received wide coverage and made headlines in electronic media journals such as Business News.