A Case of Upper Limb Osteomyelitis and Septic Arthritis Presenting as Pseudoparalysis in a Two-Week-Old

Kuldeep Stohr1, Guang Xia Xu1

  • 1Trauma and Orthopaedics Department, Cambridge University Hospitals Trust, Cambridge, UK.

Case Reports in Pediatrics
|December 13, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Infant pseudoparalysis, often mistaken for Erb

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric infectious diseases
  • Neonatal care
  • Orthopedic surgery

Background:

  • Pseudoparalysis in infants is a rare condition with infection and trauma as primary differential diagnoses.
  • Early misdiagnosis can occur, as seen in this case where it was initially identified as Erb's palsy.

Observation:

  • A two-week-old infant presented with pseudoparalysis, initially misdiagnosed as Erb's palsy.
  • The infant later showed signs of sepsis.

Findings:

  • Diagnosis revealed humerus osteomyelitis and septic shoulder arthritis.
  • Despite treatment, the proximal humerus epiphysis remained abnormal.
  • The infant had no functional deficit at four-year follow-up.

Implications:

  • Highlights the importance of considering infection in infant pseudoparalysis.
  • Emphasizes prompt diagnosis and management of neonatal sepsis and osteomyelitis.
  • Suggests potential for good functional recovery despite radiographic abnormalities.

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