Mucormycosis of the tibia - A case report and review of the literature

Mucormycosis is an uncommon but highly aggressive fungal infection most com monly occurring in hosts who are immunologically predisposed to infection. Only seven previously documented cases of tibial osteomyelitis attributable to Mucorales infection exist in the literature. An unusual case is reporte d of mucormycosis osteomyelitis developing in a patient who was immunocompr omised after routine tibial Steinmann pin placement for the application of traction. Surgical debridement and amphotericin B were not sufficient to co ntrol the infection, and the patient subsequently underwent above-knee ampu tation. To the authors' knowledge this is the first description of mucormyc osis causing osteomyelitis as a result of Steinmann pin tract infection.