Acetabular protrusion in thalassemia. A report of four cases
Korovessis, P.G.; Milis, Z.T.; Spastris, P.M.; Urania, P.; Spyropoulos, P.
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research 1990(254): 199-204
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-921X PMID: 2323131 Document Number: 365343
Four female patients with thalassemia intermedia developed secondary acetabular protrusion. These cases could be the first reported cases of nontraumatic acetabular protrusion in patients with thalassemia. The rarified pelvic bone may be due to medullary hyperplasia, iron overload, or disordered calcium metabolism in conjunction with osteomalacia. The fact that currently patients with beta-thalassemia have a longer life expectancy may explain the recent observation of this entity, which should become more familiar to orthopedic surgeons who treat thalassemia patients in the future.