Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4054842 | Foot and Ankle Surgery | 2012 | 4 Pages |
IntroductionAcute osteomyelitis of the hind foot is uncommon in a normal immunocompetent adult.Case presentationWe present a previously healthy 52year old caucasian male who developed painful swelling of his ankle/hindfoot following closed soft tissue football injury. He had no antecedent systemic symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging and bone scan imaging, followed by surgical decompression and bone biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of Staphylococcus aureus hind foot osteomyelitis. He underwent triple fusion after debridement and had suppressive antibiotics. His pain and swelling resolved at 6 weeks postoperation and CT confirmed fusion at 6 months. His inflammatory markers normalised over the course of 7 months. After 18 months, he remained asymptomatic without any evidence of recurrence.ConclusionThis case represents an unusual and important variation of presentation of acute osteomyelitis in a healthy adult. It can be easily overlooked when a normal patient presents with pain and functional impairment after a closed soft tissue trauma, but a high index of suspicion is paramount because virulent organisms can infect immunologically normal patients.