SUBACUTE OSTEOMYELITIS PRESENTING AS A BONE-TUMOR - A REVIEW OF 21 CASES

Twenty-one patients with subacute osteomyelitis who were initially con sidered to have bone rumours were reviewed, with an average follow up of 3 years. The clinical symptoms were nor specific and laboratory inv estigations were normal. The radiographic findings were limited osteol ysis surrounded by bone sclerosis in 14 cases, osteolysis without defi nite borders in 6, and onion-layer periosteal bone formation in one. T he preoperative diagnoses included osteoid osteoma, osteosarcoma, chon droblastoma, Ewing's sarcoma, giant cell tumour fibrosarcoma, eosinoph ilic granuloma, and bone tumour of unknown aetiology. The definitive d iagnosis was made by surgical biopsy, histology and cultures which gre w staphylococcus in 9 cases. The gross specimens all showed lymphocyte s, plasma cells and granulation tissue with osteogenesis. All the pati ents recovered completely; 17 were treated with antibiotics and immobi lisation, and 4 did not need an antibiotic. There was no recurrence of infection after curettage and excision of the infected tissues.