Brodie’s Abscess of Posterior Ilium with Gluteal Syndrome, an Unusual Cause of Paediatric Low Back Pain: A Case Report
- Author:
Behera G, Ms Orth, Poduval M, Ms Orth, Patro Dk, Ms Orth, Sahoo S, Ms Orth
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
low back pain, Brodie’s abscess, posterior ilium, gluteal syndrome
- From:Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal
2017;11(2):68-71
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Brodie’s abscess is a variety of subacute osteomyelitis with a
long duration of presentation and intermittent pain. It usually
involves the metaphyseal region of long bones of the lower
limbs. Brodie’s abscess of pelvic bone is very rare.
Involvement of posterior ilium with gluteal syndrome is
extremely unusual and can be easily missed or
misdiagnosed. We present a 9-year old boy who reported to
us with intermittent low back pain of three months duration
without any other constitutional symptoms. Clinically, there
was mild tenderness over the posterior ilium. Computed
tomography showed a lytic lesion in the posterior ilium with
a breach in the outer cortex. MRI and bone scan were
suggestive of inflammatory pathology. Keeping infective,
tubercular and benign bone tumors as differential diagnoses,
open biopsy and curettage were done. Staphylococcus aureus
was cultured and histopathology was suggestive of
osteomyelitis. The patient received appropriate antibiotics
for six weeks. He was asymptomatic till 18 months of follow
up without any recurrence. We present this case because of
its rarity and unusual presentation as gluteal syndrome and
low back pain, and its resemblance to other pelvic and
sacroiliac joint pathologies which are often missed or
misdiagnosed in paediatric patients.
