Case ReportsPathological Fracture in Acute Osteomyelitis of Long Bones Secondary to Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus: Two Cases and Review of the Literature
Section snippets
Case 1
A 46-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of a pathologic fracture of the right humerus. Four months prior to the admission the patient noted a “boil” on the left lower leg with swelling, warmth, and purulent drainage. She was given a 7-day course of oral trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (one double-strength tablet twice daily) and the lesion resolved. The patient had no fever, chills, or sweats. There was no history of trauma or injections, but her daughter was reported to have had
Discussion
Pathologic fractures occur as a result of a malignancy, underlying bone disease, or infection.1 Chronic osteomyelitis is a recognized, although infrequent, cause of pathologic fractures because bone resorption is balanced by the formation of new, albeit abnormal, bone.1 Pathologic fracture is a rare complication of acute bacterial osteomyelitis of long bones in adults.3 Most cases reported in the modern medical literature have occurred in children, including those with an underlying sickle cell
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