Abstract
Emphysematous osteomyelitis is a rare condition characterized by the presence of intraosseous
gas. A prompt diagnosis is required for this disease to expedite management as it
is a potentially fatal condition. Many comorbidities, such as malignancy, diabetes
mellitus, alcohol abuse, Crohn’s disease, and other etiologies causing immunosuppression,
predispose to this condition. The causative organisms are generally anaerobes or members
of Enterobacteriaceae family; however, the infection can be mono or polymicrobial.
We report two cases affected with emphysematous osteomyelitis due to varied underlying
comorbidities. The purpose of this study is to (a) emphasize the importance of computed
tomography in diagnosing emphysematous osteomyelitis and (b) to highlight an unusual
location of this rare pathology.
Keywords
Anaerobes - computed tomography - emphysematous osteomyelitis -
Enterobacteriaceae
- intraosseous gas
