A Rare Case Report of Emphysematous Osteomyelitis of the Femur in a Pediatric Patient: Imaging Findings and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Emphysematous osteomyelitis (EO) is a rare yet life-threatening condition that must be considered in patients presenting with intraosseous gas on imaging. Anaerobic bacteria or members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are typically implicated in EO. The presence of significant comorbidities, such as malignancy and diabetes mellitus, can increase the risk of developing this condition, and high mortality rates have been reported. Prompt diagnosis and management are critical for improving patient outcomes, and radiologists play a vital role in identifying and interpreting imaging findings suggestive of EO.in this article we report the exceptional case of emphysematous osteomyelitis of the femur in a 12-year-old girl with no prior medical history. Microbiological analysis of the collected samples revealed the presence of Staphylococcus aureus.