Unusual Case of Osteomyelitis and Discitis in a Drug User with a Background of Chronic Back Pain: Do Not Miss the Serious Etiologies
Chronic back pain is a common presenting complaint that is frequently encountered by clinicians. The challenge for clinicians is identifying the relatively few patients with a significant probability of a more serious problem that requires further evaluation. Such individuals require further evaluat...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hindawi Limited
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Infectious Diseases |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/729812 |
| Summary: | Chronic back pain is a common presenting complaint that is frequently encountered by clinicians. The challenge for clinicians is identifying the relatively few patients with a significant probability of a more serious problem that requires further evaluation. Such individuals require further evaluation for possible occult malignancy, infection, or fracture. We present a case of a 50-year-old male with a past medical history of chronic back pain and IV drug abuse who presented with acute back pain and in whom a diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis was missed during multiple visits to the emergency room. |
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| ISSN: | 2090-6625 2090-6633 |