Pathologic fractures in children with acute Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis.

BACKGROUND: Osteomyelitis is a common pediatric musculoskeletal infection. This infection can weaken the normal bone structure, resulting in the risk of a pathologic fracture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for pathologic fracture in children with Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis. METHODS: Seventeen children who were treated for a pathologic long-bone fracture secondary to Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis between January 2001 and January 2009 at a tertiary-care pediatric hospital were identified. These patients were compared with a control group consisting of forty-nine children with Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis without a fracture who were matched for age, sex, and methicillin susceptibility. A retrospective review of the clinical records, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, and microbiologic findings was performed. RESULTS: Patients who developed a fracture presented with osteomyelitis at a mean age of 8.8 years (range, two to seventeen years). Fifteen of the seventeen patients had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates, and two had methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). The mean time from disease onset to fracture was 72.1 days (range, twenty to 150 days). The duration of hospitalization, number of surgical procedures, duration of antibiotic treatment, and total number of complications differed significantly between the two groups. MRI studies at the time of admission demonstrated a significantly greater prevalence of subperiosteal abscess and greater circumferential size of such an abscess in the patients with a fracture. A sharp zone of abnormally diminished enhancement of the marrow was also more common in these patients. The USA300-0114 pulsotype was more commonly associated with an elevated likelihood of fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis is a serious infection that may predispose children to pathologic fractures. Protected weight-bearing and activity restriction are recommended in children with Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis who have the risk factors demonstrated in this study.

Double pathological fracture of mandibula caused by actinomycotic osteomyelitis: a case report.

Actinomycosis is an uncommon chronic granulomatous infection that cause formation of abscesses and cutaneous fistula. In mandibular actinomycosis the alveolar bone and mandibular body are usually not involved and the pathogenetic mechanisms of the actinomycotic infiltration is unknown. The patients usually report pain at the alveolar arch with development of a purplish-red swelling firmly attached to the mandibula; the fibrous tissue produces the continued development of new cutaneous fistulas with oncoming pus-secretion. An uncommon case of actinomycotic osteomyelitis with a double pathological fracture of mandibula is reported. Ortopanoramic X-ray and computed tomography scan of the mandibula are effective and relevant diagnostic procedures to quantify the entity and site of the osteolitic areas and to define the precise position of fractures. In association with the intravenous infusion of benzilpenicillina, daily local irrigations of rifamicina have been performed. Moreover, the patient underwent surgical drainage of abscesses with accurate curettage of osteomyelitic lesions and several biopsies of the trabecolar bone and fistulas were taken. It has been also necessary to perform a mandibular blockage using a resinal plaque anchored on premolars. To reach a precise diagnosis, an histopathological examination togheter with batterioscopic-coltural examination is needed. Antibiotic therapy alone is not a sufficient therapeutic approach and surgical treatment must be quickly performed with clean up of the osteomyelitic lesions and contention of fractures by alveolar blockage for at least 40 days.

Pathological fracture of the right distal radius caused by Enterobacter aerogenes osteomyelitis in an adult.

A pathological fracture is a break in a diseased bone caused by weakening of the bone structure by a pathological process with no identifiable trauma. Acute bacterial osteomyelitis that results in pathological fractures in the extremities is rare in adults. To our knowledge, we report the first case of Enterobacter aerogenes osteomyelitis of the right distal radius, complicated with a pathological fracture, in a 79-year-old man with diabetes, which was diagnosed by radiological, microbiological, and histopathological examinations. He recovered well after an 8-week course of antibiotics and surgical debridement. This highlights the fact that radial osteomyelitis should be included in the differential diagnosis when an elderly diabetic patient with no history of trauma presents with pain in the forearm.

Spontaneous fracture: multiple causes.

Spontaneous fractures occur in seemingly normal bone with no apparent blunt-force trauma. Spontaneous fracture occurs primarily in two distinct groups of patients: the very active young and the elderly. Researchers and clinicians have used several terms interchangeably for spontaneous fracture, including pathologic fracture, fragility fracture, compression fracture, or fatigue or insufficiency fracture. Among the most common causes of spontaneous fracture are osteoporosis (calcium deficiency and corticosteroid-induced), malignancy, overexposure to vitamin A, periprosthetic weakening, Brucellosis, cerebral palsy (especially in children), and osteodystrophy because of chronic renal failure. Preliminary research observations indicate that spontaneous fracture may be a rare adverse outcome associated with bisphosphonates.

Chronic Brucella infection of the humerus diagnosed after a spontaneous fracture.

Brucellosis is uncommon in humans and only rarely manifests as osteomyelitis. We report the case of a 57-year-old patient with chronic Brucella osteomyelitis of both humeri. The diagnosis was established upon evaluation of a spontaneous fracture of the right humerus. The organism was recovered in fluid draining to the skin from an abscess located in the bone and soft tissues.

[Chronic osteomyelitis at the Ouagadougou teaching hospital (Burkina Faso). A retrospective study of 102 cases (1996-2000)]. / Ostéomyélites chroniques au CHU de Ouagadou- gou (Burkina Faso). Etude rétrospective de 102 cas (1996-2000).

This is a retrospective study carried out in the orthopaedic and trauma department of the Yalgado-Ouédraogo teaching hospital. All the patients hospitalized in the service with a chronic osteomyelitis (COM) from March 1, 1996 to March 28, 2000 were included. The frequency of COM was 5.3%. The patients' average age was 17.7 with extremes of 2 and 60 years old. 63.9% were male; 80.7% had fistulized COM. A pathological fracture was observed in 16.9% of the patients. Lower limbs were affected most frequently (65%). Thirty patients (36.1%) had haemoglobin S, among them 22 had a major sickle cell disease. Staphylococcus aureus was present in the majority of the cases (more than 50%). Salmonella were observed among patients carrying haemoglobin S. One case of ceftriaxone-resistance salmonella osteomyelitis was reported. The medico-surgical and orthopaedic treatment was statistically more favourable than a medical or medico-surgical treatment without immobilization.

Pathological fractures in mycetoma.

Pathological fractures in mycetoma are a rarity and only 1 patient was reported in the literature. We report an unexpectedly high incidence of pathological fractures in mycetoma seen at the Mycetoma Research Centre, Khartoum, Sudan over a 10-year period. Plain radiographs of 517 patients with confirmed mycetoma in various body sites were reviewed and correlated with the clinical presentation of the patients. Pathological fractures were detected in 12 patients (2.3%). The explanation of this high incidence is unclear. Pain-reducing agents produced by mycetoma may be the reason that these fractures were overlooked clinically.

Dual use of silver for management of chronic bone infections and infected non-unions.

Broad spectrum antibacterial effect of electrically generated silver ions has been fully established. Present work consists of clinical evaluation of beneficial antibacterial effect of silver ions liberated electrically with the help of locally manufactured power pack in 920 proved cases of chronic osteomyelitis with or without pathological fractures and septic non-unions. Wound debridement, silver iontophoresis, proper immobilisation and subsequent wound care yielded not only control of bone infections in 85% cases, but also produced healing of pathological fractures in 83% patients. Results remained unaffected by age or sex of patient, type of bone involved, duration of previous illness or type of previous treatment. Follow-up varied from 6 months to 10 years. This technique is likely to open a new chapter in treatment of chronic resistant bone infections and septic non-unions due to open fractures particularly in developing countries of the world.

[Cold retropharyngeal abscess associated with cervical vertebral tuberculosis]. / Absceso frío retrofaríngeo asociado a tuberculosis vertebral cervical.

A 38-year-old man, parenteral drug user affected by vertebral tuberculosis with involvement of the first, second and third cervical vertebrae associated with a cold retropharyngeal abscess is presented. Treatment and main clinical and histopathologic features of this very unusual location of tuberculosis are discussed.