Bilateral acute tibial osteomyelitis in a patient without an underlying disease: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: The simultaneous presentation of osteomyelitis in more than one bone is rare and is commonly accompanied by a chronic disease. Even in such cases, other conditions that arise commonly in the long bones of children - such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis and Ewing's sarcoma - must be ruled out. Case presentation: We present the case of a 5-year-old boy with bilateral acute tibial osteomyelitis without an underlying chronic disease who was treated with surgical debridement. We also review the pertinent literature. Conclusion: Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and timely surgical intervention - including proactive efforts to prevent fractures - all increase the chance of a successful outcome for these patients. © 2014 Sipahioglu et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.