Table 1 Cierny and Mader clinical staging system for adult chronic osteomyelitis²⁸

I

Medullary osteomyelitis

II

Superficial osteomyelitis

III

Localized osteomyelitis

IV

Diffuse osteomyelitis

A

Good immune system and delivery

B

Compromised locally (BL) or systemically (BS)

C

Requires suppressive or no treatment; minimal disability; treatment worse than disease; not a surgical candidate

Type + Class = Clinical stage