Subacute osteitis is a rare condition, which may occur around the hip in young children. This usually results after a bone infection has been partially treated with antibiotics, which were discontinued too early. The diagnosis may not have been made in this case is often when antibiotics were prescribed empirically for a child which was generally unwell. The patient presents with hip stiffness and pain, inflammatory markers may be raised and the x-ray appearance may be variable. An MRI scan is often required to pin down the diagnosis.
Management involves a six week course of antibiotics, if the problem fails to resolve, surgical biopsy and excision may be required.
