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01-05-2013 | Case Report

A case of an atypical femoral fracture associated with bacterial biofilm—pathogen or bystander?

Authors: T. S. Howe, G. Erlich, J. S. B. Koh, A. C. M. Ng, W. Costerton

Published in: Osteoporosis International | Issue 5/2013

Abstract

We report a case of an 86-year-old woman with an atypical femoral fracture (AFF) who was treated with intramedullary nailing followed by lateral femoral plating. She developed a second femoral shaft fracture distal to the intramedullary nail which required a second operation. Biopsy of the periosteum overlying the site of the initial proximal AFF was sent for pathogen analysis. Using the Ibis T5000 platform and the BAC plate assay, a polymicrobial infection was diagnosed consisting of Bifidobacterium subtile and Pseudomonas mendocina. This raises the possibility that bacterial infections may play some role in atypical fractures of the femur.

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Title: A case of an atypical femoral fracture associated with bacterial biofilm—pathogen or bystander?
Authors: T. S. Howe
G. Erlich
J. S. B. Koh
A. C. M. Ng
W. Costerton
Publication date: 01-05-2013
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Osteoporosis International / Issue 5/2013
Print ISSN: 0937-941X
Electronic ISSN: 1433-2965
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-2222-4

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A case of an atypical femoral fracture associated with bacterial biofilm—pathogen or bystander?

Abstract

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Abstract

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