Late septic hip dislocation with multifocal osteomyelitis and malaria: a case report

Abstract

A 9-year-old boy presented with high-grade fever associated with pain and swelling in right hip and left leg of 1-week duration. Pus was found on diagnostic aspiration of the right hip joint. Emergency arthrotomy was performed through anterior approach with drill holes in proximal femur and culture showed MRSA. Intravenous antibiotics were given for 4 weeks. Patient symptomatically improved in immediate postoperative period and in bed hip mobilization was started. On eighth postoperative day, child developed high-grade intermittent fever with chills and rigors and diagnosed as plasmodium falciparum malaria. Fever subsided with antimalarial treatment. On twenty-first day, patient complained pain in right hip and X-ray showed posterior hip dislocation with osteomyelitis of proximal femur. Closed reduction and hip spica application was done under general anesthesia. At follow-up, the clinical result was fair with resolution of infection and stiff hip.