title: Diabetes mellitus presenting as "acute osteomyelitis" of the index finger.
abstract: A case of previously undiagnosed maturity onset diabetes in a fifty-eight-year-old man with a "septic index finger" is reported. Initial X-rays showed gross destruction of the distal phalanx, suggestive of acute osteomyelitis. Control of the diabetes combined with minimal debridement of the finger resulted in healing of the lesion. X-rays taken four weeks later showed complete reconstitution of the distal phalanx, confirming the need to be conservative in the management of lesions associated with diabetes. In spite of a careful and extensive search into the literature covering unusual presentations of diabetes mellitus, the author is unable to trace a similar recorded case involving the digit of upper limb.
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography