Table 1.

Population and the results of bone biopsies

	Variable	Prospective cohort study (n = 69)
Population	Mean age	68.7 (S = 13.6)
	Male	35 (50.7 %)
	Amputation above the knee	45 (65.2 %)
	Of them due to peripheral vascular disease	40/45 (88.9 %)
	Diabetics	21 (30.4 %)
	Diabetic foot	14 (20.3 %)
	Trophic disorders	52 (75.4 %)
	Trauma	24 (34.8 %)
	Antibiotic-free interval before limb amputation	39 (56.5 %)
SOB	Sterile SOB	52 (75.4 %)
	Positive SOB	11 (15.9 %)
	Doubful SOB	6 (8.7 %)
	Positive + doubtful SOB	17 (24.6 %)
	No. of isolates	27
	No. of isolates, by pathogen
	S. aureus	0
	Coagulase-negative staphylococci (in all)	9 (33.3 %)
	Staphylococcus epidermidis	7
	Staphylococcus warneri	1
	Staphylococcus cohnii	1
	Other gram- positive bacteria	8 (29.6 %)
	Gram-negative bacilli	10 (37 %)
	Anaerobes	0
	Methicillin resistant staphylococci	3/9
SOB and percutaneous bone biopsy of the distal site	Microorganisms identified from SOB were found in the distal infected site	45.5 %
	S. aureus	0
	Coagulase- negative staphylococci	1/9
	Other gram- positive bacteria	2/7
	Gram-negative bacilli	3/10
	Anaerobes	0
	Methicillin resistant staphylococci	0/3