Brodie's abscess of the cuboid in a pediatric male

Abstract

Brodie's abscess of the tarsal cuboid is a rare presentation of a common disease. In the present report, we describe the case of Brodie's abscess of the tarsal cuboid after a thorn prick in the foot of a 10-year-old boy. The patient was asymptomatic in the acute phase of the injury, and on presentation, no evidence was found of an open cutaneous wound. The foot radiographs showed a cavitary osteolytic lesion in the cuboid bone. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a classic penumbra sign and an abscess in the plantar intrinsic musculature. The patient was treated with curettage and debridement combined with broad-spectrum antibiotics, which resulted in complete resolution of the symptoms by 6 weeks postoperatively. Although microbiologic analysis of the surgical specimen failed to reveal a causative microorganism, histopathologic inspection showed chronic inflammation, consistent with Brodie's abscess.