Pyogenic Vertebral Body Osteomyelitis in a Child: A Case Report

Pyogenic vertebral body osteomyelitis is rarer in children in comparison to adults. A rare case of pyogenic vertebral body osteomyelitis in a 10-year-old male is presented which was managed conservatively with antibiotics on the basis of antibiogram of blood culture. With 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy and at 12-month follow-up, the patient has no symptoms with no affection of any activity. This should be considered as a differential diagnosis in pediatric patients presenting with atypical symptoms related to spine and hip.

A 10-year-old child presented with a 7-day history of progressively increasing insidious onset pain in the lower back radiating to the right hip, with an associated limp and restriction of floor level activities and activities of daily living. On examination, the child had tenderness at L3, L4, and L5 vertebral level and normal neurology in both lower limbs. A pseudoflexion deformity 20° was also noted in the right hip with normal range of motion in other planes. Keeping a differential of infective etiology of either hip or spine, routine blood investigations, blood culture, and radiological evaluation were done which included X-rays of lumbosacral spine and hip, ultrasound of bilateral hips and abdomen, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lumbosacral spine. The blood investigations showed an increase in white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, with the isolation of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus in blood culture. Ultrasonography of hip showed mild effusion in the right hip and collections in the psoas; MRI confirmed the findings with an enhancement of L4 vertebral body.

Pyogenic vertebral body osteomyelitis is a rare diagnosis in children that should be considered in patients with atypical symptoms. MRI is the investigation of choice with prompt antibiotic therapy instituted on time which leads to healing without any sequelae.