Complications of surgical management of osteopetrosis. A case report of multiple surgeries performed on one patient

Abstract

Osteopetrosis is a rare form of sclerosing bone dysplasias which in some cases requires orthopedic surgical management of its complications. It is characterized by osteosclerosis, brittle bones and obliteration of the medullary cavity. Therefore, surgery in these cases is difficult and results can be compromised by postoperative complications. We present a case of a 73-year-old patient treated at our institution in a period of 24 years. In this period, the patient had bilateral primary hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty, revision surgeries of both THA's and lumbar spine surgeries. The treatment of infected THA and periprosthetic fractures ended with satisfactory results but complications of the spinal surgery resulted in a poor clinical outcome.