Your body s protective mechanisms keep the infection localized. The infection will make other people sick if they come into contact with it. Your infection is not contagious and will not affect other people unless they are severely compromised. Good hand-washing when you change dressings, and a clean dressing over open wounds should be enough to keep everyone protected. Some factors can be changed and thereby reduce your risk, but many can not.
Tobacco use is the most common form of compromise and the easiest to change.
The infection is not curable and will continue to return periodically. The knowledge gained through years of treating patients, such as yourself has enabled us to anticipate many of your questions and fears. Our goal is to return you to a normal life, free from infection and the constant fear of yet another hospitalization. Although your extremity may never be the same as it was prior to injury, we will strive to return to you as much function and mobility as possible. You will be expected to be an active partner is the treatment process.