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

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. 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. 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.