We treated 9 children with acute osteomyelitis between October 1992 and October 1998. The sites of osteomyelitis were femur in 4 cases, tibia in 3 cases, humerus in 1 case, and radius in 1 case. The age at onset was from 1 month to 13 years 9 months. After diagnostic aspiration and/or blood culture, we treated all cases at first by administering intravenous antibiotics. Two cases were cured by conservative methods, and we operated on 7 cases in which the presence of an abscess was confirmed by

more »

... spiration or the symptoms persisted after the administration of sufficient antibiotics. All cases were cured uneventfully. We conclude that we should surgically treat cases with acute osteomyelitis with confirmed abscess by aspiration or symptoms do not improve immediately after the administration of antibiotics.