Multiple fractures in a 22-year-old man after a simple fall

Abstract

We present the case of a 22-year-old male with longstanding progressive fatigue, weakness and pain around his hips due to an undiagnosed parathyroid adenoma. The resultant primary hyperparathyroidism ultimately caused pathologic fractures. He was admitted to the hospital for further assessment and excision of the parathyroid adenoma. A few days after admission, he fell down while walking and was referred to our team. X-rays showed a displaced left femoral neck fracture (FNF) and right humeral shaft fracture with poor bone quality. His humeral fracture was treated conservatively, and the FNF was treated with total hip replacement. Three days later, he underwent parathyroidectomy. This case demonstrates the importance of a thorough investigation of progressive weakness even in a young individual and illustrates the importance of early diagnosis of parathyroid adenoma to avoid the devastating end results of this condition.