Case report
Mycotic aneurysm of the femoral artery resulting from mismanagement of a pathological femur fracture due to chronic osteomyelitis: a case report
1 Anatomy Department, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, PO Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
2 Orthopaedics Department, School of Medicine, Makerere University, PO Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda
Journal of Medical Case Reports 2013, 7:8 doi:10.1186/1752-1947-7-8
Published: 9 January 2013Abstract
Introduction
Mycotic aneurysms are rarely listed among the possible complications of osteomyelitis of the long bones. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of chronic osteomyelitis associated with a pathological fracture of the femur and a mycotic aneurysm of the femoral artery.
Case presentation
We present the case of a 13-year-old Ugandan boy who was referred to our hospital with chronic osteomyelitis associated with a pathological fracture of the right femur and a mycotic aneurysm of the femoral artery. He underwent a successful above-knee amputation and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
Conclusions
Aneurysms associated with chronic osteomyelitis of the long bones are very rare. However, in Africa, where people often still believe in crude traditional remedies, they should be considered among the possible diagnoses especially where acute injuries of the limbs are massaged and manipulated.
