ABSCESS FORMATION AS A COMPLICATION CAUSED BY POSTOPERATIVE OSTEOMYELITIS OF THE FEMUR

We report an unusual case of a giant femoral abscess caused by postope rative osteomyelitis after treating a fracture of the femoral shaft. T he patient ignored it until the abscess began to interfere with knee f lexion, but no symptoms of inflammation such as fever, pain or abnorma l laboratory values were found. Within the marrow cavity, many plasma cells produced immunoglobulins G and M, and the level of these substan ces in the abscess fluid connected to the bony focus were higher than the serum levels. It was concluded that the inflammation in this case signified a peculiarity in a primarily chronic process.