title: Osteopetrosis-associated osteomyelitis of the jaws: a report of 4 cases.
abstract: Osteopetrosis represents a heterogeneous group of rare, hereditary bone disorders with variable clinical features and an increase in bone density. The common clinical findings that usually lead to the detection of the disease are fractures and osteomyelitis of the mandible. We report 4 cases of osteopetrosis, complicated by osteomyelitis of the jaws. Maxillary bone was involved in 3 of the cases and mandible in 1 of the cases. Osteomyelitis of the maxilla is extremely rare. When it occurs, there is invariably an underlying predisposing condition. All the 4 patients presented with osteomyelitis after dental extraction. Skeletal survey revealed multiple healed fractures of the long bones in all the cases. Two patients presented with myelophthisic anemia and evidence of extraosseous hematopoiesis and 1 patient with osteopetrotic stenosis of optic and auditory nerve exit foramina. All 4 cases were treated with intravenous antibiotic therapy and debridement of necrotic bone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India. drckrithika@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Chandrasekaran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krithika
authors.forename: Ravanasamudram Sundaram
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Neelakandan
authors.forename: Balasundaram
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sivapathasundaram
authors.forename: Domadula
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koteeswaran
authors.forename: Pommai Chinnaiah
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Rajaram
authors.forename: Girish Subhash
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shetkar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000750:Anemia, Myelophthisic / Q000150:complications; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D003646:Debridement; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006411:Hematopoiesis, Extramedullary / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008336:Mandibular Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008439:Maxillary Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010022:Osteopetrosis / Q000150:complications*; D010026:Osteosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D019291:Skull Base / Q000473:pathology; D014081:Tooth Extraction
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents