Pelvic osteomyelitis presenting as groin and medial thigh pain: a resident's case problem.

STUDY DESIGN: Resident's case problem.

BACKGROUND: Groin pain represents a diagnostic challenge and requires a diagnostic process that rules out life-threatening illness or disease processes. Osteomyelitis is a potential fatal disease process that requires accurate diagnosis and medical management. Osteomyelitis presents a problem for the outpatient physical therapist, as the described physical findings for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis are nonspecific.

DIAGNOSIS: A 67-year-old man with groin and bilateral medial thigh pain was referred for physical therapy care to address right adductor weakness and generalized deconditioning. He had undergone extensive treatment for bladder cancer, with a recent radical cystoprostatectomy and cutaneous urinary diversion with an Indiana pouch. Postsurgical magnetic resonance imaging indicated normal findings, and the patient was currently being managed by an orthopaedic surgeon, who diagnosed the patient as having obturator nerve palsy. The physical therapist's examination produced findings inconsistent with this diagnosis. Subsequently, nuclear medicine studies revealed pubic symphysitis/osteomyelitis with secondary myositis, predominantly affecting the right adductor muscles.

DISCUSSION: Osteomyelitis represents a difficult problem for the outpatient physical therapist. Careful consideration of red-flag symptoms and inconclusive physical testing indicate the need for further medical work-up. In this case, appropriate medical management led to improvement in patient function, highlighting the need for early diagnosis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Differential diagnosis, level 4.