Traumatic fracture in a healthy man: benign or pathologic?

Objective: To describe the challenge of determining the correct diagnosis in a healthy adult male patient with a recent femoral fracture and a history of multiple bone fractures.

Methods: We present clinical, radiologic, laboratory, and histopathologic details in a patient with a history of recurrent fractures associated with minimal trauma. Moreover, the various types of osteopetrosis are reviewed.

Results: A 34-year-old African American man was in his usual state of good health when he fell hard on concrete. Immediately after the fall, he was able to bear weight, although pain prompted him to seek medical care. Besides a personal history of multiple fractures, he had no other medical problems. He had never smoked, denied illicit drug use, and had no family history of bone disorders or recurrent fractures. Findings on physical examination were unremarkable. Radiography disclosed an incomplete femoral fracture and osteosclerosis. Bone survey revealed diffuse, symmetric osteosclerosis of both the axial and the appendicular skeleton. The long bones showed areas of almost complete obliteration of the medullary canal, along with prominent hyperostosis. Additionally, a "bone-within-bone" appearance to the thickened endosteum was noted. A bone scan demonstrated numerous areas of symmetric radiotracer uptake. Laboratory analyses were unremarkable, including a complete blood cell count, electrolytes, serum protein electrophoresis, thyrotropin, and parathyroid hormone. Total alkaline phosphatase was mildly elevated at 162 U/L (normal range, 35 to 130). Seven needles were broken during attempts to perform a bone biopsy. Histologic examination showed normal bone marrow with "woven" bone and areas of primary spongiosa within mature osteoid. Autosomal dominant osteopetrosis type 2 was diagnosed on the basis of his clinical presentation and the radiologic and pathologic findings.

Conclusion: The preliminary diagnosis for this patient's condition was Paget's disease, and determining the correct diagnosis of osteopetosis prevented the administration of inappropriate therapy. In addition, this case report reminds the clinician that genetic disease may manifest in adulthood.