A case report of a septic hip secondary to a psoas abscess

Psoas abscess was first described by Mynter in 1881. Though rare, its prevalence is increasing with advances in radiology and an increasing ability to accurately diagnose the condition. The symptoms of a psoas abscess can be insidious and nonspecific, and patients often present with a limp, fever, weight loss, and flank or abdominal pain. A psoas abscess can be classified as either primary or secondary depending on the presence or absence of an underlying disease. Primary psoas abscess has become more prevalent in the developed world, especially in immuno-compromised patients. We present the case of a 48 year old man who presented with fever, left hip pain and difficulty weight-bearing. He had a past medical history of chronic renal failure secondary to hypertension. Following laboratory, radiological and microbiological analyses the patient was diagnosed as having a Staphylococcus Aureus hip sepsis secondary to a psoas abscess. Psoas abscess should be included as a differential diagnosis in all patients presenting with hip pain and constitutional symptoms. The case is discussed with reference to the literature.