Pill power: could oral antibiotics replace IV for tough bone infections?

NCT ID NCT05699174

First seen Feb 02, 2026 · Last updated Jun 23, 2026 · Updated 12 times

Summary

This study tests whether taking antibiotic pills is as effective as getting them through an IV for treating infected bone fractures that didn't heal properly. About 250 adults with this condition will be randomly assigned to either oral or IV antibiotics for up to 6 weeks after surgery. The goal is to see if the oral route leads to fewer hospital readmissions and similar infection control.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Email: •••••@•••••

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Atrium Health, Carolinas Medical Center

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Charlotte, North Carolina, 28207, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Hennepin Health

    RECRUITING

    Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55487, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Indiana University

    RECRUITING

    Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Jamaica Hospital Medical Center

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Queens, New York, 11418, United States

    Contact

  • Penn State University M.S. Hershey Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Sinai Hospital Baltimore

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21215, United States

    Contact

  • University of Maryland , MD Department of Orthopaedics

    RECRUITING

    Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States

    Contact

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

  • University of Okalahoma College of Medicine

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104, United States

    Contact

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

  • University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

    NOT_YET_RECRUITING

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Washington Harborview Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Seattle, Washington, 98195, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • University of Wisconsin

    RECRUITING

    Madison, Wisconsin, 53705, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Vanderbilt Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27106, United States

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

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 work as well as IV, patients could avoid hospital stays and IV lines, making treatment easier and cheaper.

What could go wrong

This is a mid-stage trial with 250 patients, so results may not apply to everyone. Oral antibiotics might not clear deep bone infections as effectively as IV, risking treatment failure.

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.