Acute osteomyelitis commonly affects -

Ans. is 'c' i.e., Metaphysis Pathophysiology of acute osteomyelitis* Organism reach the bone through blood stream from a septic focus elsewhere in the body.* Metaphysis of long bone is the earliest and most common site involved because: -i) Metaphysis is highly vascularii) Commonest site is metaphysis. This is because of the peculiar arrangement of the blood vessels in that area, which leads to relative vascular stasis, favouring bacterial colonization -iii) Metaphysis has relatively few phagocytic cells than physis or diaphysis.iv) Metaphysis has thin cortex.* Acute osteomyelitis may result from hematogenous spread of the infecting organism, or may be infected secondarily from the spread of a contiguous area of infection, or direct inoculation of bacteria in the bone (open fractures, nail punctures of the foot). In adults, hematogenous infection is more common in the vertebrae than in the long bones.