Bilateral acute tibial osteomyelitis in a patient without an underlying disease: a case report

INTRODUCTION: The simultaneous presentation of osteomyelitis in more than one bone is rare and is commonly accompanied by a chronic disease. Even in such cases, other conditions that arise commonly in the long bones of children—such as chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis and Ewing’s sarcoma—must be ruled out. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 5-year-old boy with bilateral acute tibial osteomyelitis without an underlying chronic disease who was treated with surgical debridement. We also review the pertinent literature. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis, appropriate antibiotic therapy, and timely surgical intervention—including proactive efforts to prevent fractures—all increase the chance of a successful outcome for these patients.