Osteomyelitis of the iliac crest: a rare complication following perforated appendicitis.
Lau MI, Foo FJ, Bury R, Guleri A, Kiruparan P
Department of General Surgery, Victoria Hospital, Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom.
BACKGROUND: Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency with numerous postoperative infective complications. We report an unusual case of iliac crest osteomyelitis as a late complication following emergency appendectomy for perforated gangrenous appendicitis. METHODS: Review of the pertinent English language literature. RESULTS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the English literature to describe iliac crest osteomyelitis as an infective complication of perforated gangrenous appendicitis. The diagnosis was made with the aid of magnetic resonance imaging and radioisotope bone scans. The complication was treated successfully with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and physiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Iliac crest osteomyelitis is indeed a rare complication of appendicitis. A heightened awareness and better understanding of this complication would necessitate early diagnosis and treatment.
Published 10 August 2010 in Surg Infect (Larchmt), 11(4): 397-402.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).
© 2004-2013 Appendicitis Research Today. All Rights Reserved.
| 
