Pill power: could oral antibiotics replace IV drips for infected fractures?

NCT ID NCT05699174

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Major Extremity Trauma Research Consortium Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compares oral (pill) antibiotics to intravenous (IV) antibiotics for treating infected broken bones that haven't healed properly. About 250 adults with this condition will be randomly assigned to receive either oral or IV antibiotics for up to 6 weeks after surgery. The goal is to see if the pills work just as well as the IV treatment, which could make treatment easier and less invasive.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: antibiotics (oral or intravenous)
What this could lead to: If oral antibiotics prove as effective as IV, patients could avoid hospital stays and IV lines, making treatment easier and cheaper.
What could go wrong: This is a phase 3 trial, but results may not apply to all infections or patients. Oral antibiotics might be less effective for severe cases, and infection recurrence is possible.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

bone fracture Fractures, Ununited Infections infectious disease Inflammation Leg Injuries Wound Infection

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

AMPUTATION ANTIBIOTIC SIDE EFFECT FRACTURE INFECTED WOUND INFECTIONS INJURY LEG INTERNAL FIXATION; COMPLICATIONS, INFECTION OR INFLAMMATION LOWER EXTREMITY FRACTURE NONUNION OF FRACTURE

Contacts and locations

Locations

Atrium Health, Carolinas Medical Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Charlotte, North Carolina, 28207, United States
Hennepin Health
RECRUITING

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55487, United States
Indiana University
RECRUITING

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Queens, New York, 11418, United States
Penn State University M.S. Hershey Medical Center
RECRUITING

Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States
Sinai Hospital Baltimore
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Baltimore, Maryland, 21215, United States
University of Maryland , MD Department of Orthopaedics
RECRUITING

Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States
University of Okalahoma College of Medicine
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
University of Washington Harborview Medical Center
RECRUITING

Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States
University of Wisconsin
RECRUITING

Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States
Vanderbilt Medical Center
RECRUITING

Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
RECRUITING

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27106, United States

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