Carpal Osteomyelitis Caused by Mycobacterium Intracellulare Treated with Vascularized Bone Graft Reconstruction: A Case Report.
Hayato Kuno, Shinichi Sasaki, Hiroshi Kuroda
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
An 81-year-old man had progressive wrist swelling over 5 years, with diffuse carpal destruction attributed to Mycobacterium intracellulare osteomyelitis. He underwent total carpectomy and temporary cement spacer placement, followed by staged wrist arthrodesis with a vascularized medial femoral condyle bone graft. At 1-year follow-up, the wrist had achieved solid union, with no recurrent infection.
What made this case unusual
The infection caused extensive carpal destruction and required staged reconstruction with a vascularized bone graft.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Consider nontuberculous mycobacterial osteomyelitis in destructive wrist disease; this case illustrates that staged arthrodesis with vascularized bone grafting can achieve union without recurrent infection.