[Aseptic osteonecrosis of alcoholic origin: a case report]

Alcohol-induced aseptic osteonecrosis is not infrequent but multifocal osseous destruction is very rare. Alcoholic patients often present lipidic metabolism perturbation with fat embolism and are susceptible to develop diffuse intravascular coagulation in terminal microcirculation of femoral and humeral heads. The authors report one case of multifocal alcohol-induced osteonecrosis in a 74 year-woman. She presented with bilateral osteonecrosis of the humeral heads and total osteolysis of the neck and the head of the hips. Hepatic cirrhosis and chronic pancreatitis were additional risk factors inducing intra-osseous thrombosis.