title: Acute abdomen: an atypical presentation of pubic osteomyelitis.
abstract: A 67-year-old woman was admitted with diffuse lower abdominal and suprapubic pain, with diastasis of the pubic symphysis. She developed an acute abdomen necessitating an exploratory laparotomy. During laparotomy, the pubic lesion was explored, and histology confirmed the diagnosis of pubic osteomyelitis and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. The patient recovered fully with a four-week course of antibiotic therapy. This case confirms the protean presentation of pubic osteomyelitis, alerting physicians of the necessity to institute prompt treatment is such cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics Traumatology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D003023:Cloxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011630:Pubic Bone; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins; D003023:Cloxacillin