Acute Hematogenous Osteomyelitis of the Rib in 14 Years Old Child: Clinical Case

Background. Rib osteomyelitis is extremely rare in childhood. This localization of purulent focus represents only 1% of all osteomyelitis cases. The typical manifestations of ribs osteomyelitis are fever, chest or back pain. However, these clinical signs are not always present, and the disease can manifest in other way.

Clinical Case Description. Mother with 14 years old child K. have applied to the regional children's hospital admission department. The child had complains of right upper quadrant abdominal pain and in right part of the chest, difficulty in breathing. The disease began 2 days before admission with fatigue, weakness, and pyretic fever (39 °C). Complaints remained over time. The patient was hospitalized with the diagnosis: “Chest impact injury with severe pain syndrome? Right lung contusion?". The ultrasound examination of pleural cavities and the right anterior chest surface has revealed osteomyelitic phlegmon in VII intercostal space on the 3rd day of hospitalization. It was lanced and drained under general anesthesia, about 7 ml of liquid pus were obtained. The child received treatment according to clinical guidelines for the management of patients with such nosology. The final diagnosis was: «Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis of the VII rib, local form. Osteomyelitic phlegmon of VII intercostal space. Right pneumonitis. Bilateral mild hydrothorax». The boy was discharged on the 10th day since surgery in satisfactory condition.

Conclusion. The described clinical case is interesting for pediatric surgeons, traumatologists, infectious disease specialist. Particular attention should be paid to the clinical features of the disease and anamnestic information in such unclear clinical cases. It will allow to exclude traumatic injuries and assume the local inflammatory process.

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