Köhler disease: an infrequent or underdiagnosed cause of child's limping?
Santos, L.; Estanqueiro, P.; Matos, G.; Salgado, M.
Acta Reumatologica Portuguesa 40(3): 304-305
2015
ISSN/ISBN: 2184-8777 PMID: 25783595 Document Number: 682534
Köhler disease (KD) is the osteochondrosis of the tarsal navicular bone of the young children, which is a self-limited condition. Typically the child reports pain with mechanical characteristics in the medial region of the foot, however, intermittent or continuous limping may be the only clinical manifestation, which delays the diagnosis and consequently exposes to unnecessary tests and treatments. We describe a bilateral KD whose clinical manifestation was unilateral limping with 4 months evolution. The radiologic evaluation showed flattening, sclerosis and irregular rarefaction of both navicular bones. Claudication persisted for four weeks, after which, the child remains asymptomatic.