Adult Pelvic Osteomyelitis with Sepsis

A healthy 45-year-old man underwent acupuncture. The following day, he developed a high fever, above 40°C, and sepsis. Intensive care was instituted immediately. The source of the infection was still unclear in spite of various examinations, and no bacteria were detected in the blood, urine or sputum. A diagnosis of right-sided pelvic osteomyelitis was made as a result of a further systemic examination on the basis of occult focal sepsis, and iliostomy, curettage and drainage was performed. The symptoms were alleviated after 2 months, and the patient was discharged. Pathological findings indicated acute suppurative osteomyelitis. It is extremely rare for osteomyelitis, which rarely occurs in the pelvis, to be associated with sepsis as the principal manifestation. There was no history of a wound, and the patient was not a compromised host. A causal relation with earlier orthopedic surgery in this case is still unclear.