Fritz Schneble (Regensburg)  

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3 Years  

Female  

Leg-Muscular system / Connective tissue / Skin  

other  

3 year-old girl, good general condition. Slight respiratory infection 2 weeks ago. No fever. Since the day before, patient reported pain in the left "leg". Child refuses to stand up or to walk.

In clinical examinations, due to the severe pain, flexion of the left hip joint is not possible. Laboratory findings showed unnoticeable infectious parameters.  

Post- or parainfectious, often after a trivial respiratory infection.  

<- view Ultrasound 1

Ultrasound 1: ventral Hip sonography: Depiction of the right and left hips in comparision: obvious echo-free joint effusion on the left with distancing of the capsule (left 12 mm, right unnoticeable 6 mm). Obvious thickening of the synovia (2.8 mm).



<- view Ultrasound 2

Ultrasound 2: Detailed image of the left hip on admittance. (The obvious effusion was no longer seen sonographically 2 weeks later)


 

Total constellation (Consens)  

Coxitis in a rheumatic disease, Purulent coxitis. In absent effusional regression and a chronic course, Perthes' disease.  

Prognosis: good
Clinical improvement mostly within 2 days.
Complete effusional regression within 1-2 weeks sonographically proven. If effusional regression is absent, a new differential diagnosis of Perthes disease must be taken into consideration.  

N/A  

N/A  

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Hip joint effusion, Coxitis fugax, leg pain, fever, infection, child, childhood, pediatric radiology  

Fritz Schneble. Coxitis fugax. PedRad [serial online] vol 3, no. 1.
URL: www.PedRad.info/?search=20030124112728