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Case Reports
. 2023;11(9):588-590.
doi: 10.22038/ABJS.2023.70876.3317.

Misdiagnosis of Congenital Pubic Symphysis Diastasis as Post-Traumatic Pubic Diastasis: A Case Report

Sajad Noori Gravand, Elham Mohammadyahya, Hamed Tayyebi
Case Reports

Misdiagnosis of Congenital Pubic Symphysis Diastasis as Post-Traumatic Pubic Diastasis: A Case Report

Sajad Noori Gravand et al. Arch Bone Jt Surg. 2023.

Abstract

In patients with congenital pubic diastasis, who present with polytrauma injury, pubic diastasis could be falsely attributed to the traumatic event. This generally occurs in asymptomatic patients whose anomaly is not diagnosed before the traumatic event. In this report, we present a case of a 26-year-old male with fracture-dislocation of the left hip and congenital agenesis of pubic bones that was initially misdiagnosed as post-traumatic pubic diastasis due to the patient's reduced consciousness. A closer examination led to noticing his micropenis and the scar from the earlier surgical intervention, and thereby, suspicion of the congenital etiology of the pubic diastasis, later confirmed by pre-trauma radiography. This case reveals that the congenital etiology of pubic diastasis could be missed owing to the patient's reduced consciousness. Therefore, a full inspection of the etiology of pelvic ring injury is necessary before conducting any surgical intervention.

Keywords: Agenesis; Congenital; Polytrauma; Pubic diastasis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Anteroposterior radiograph of the hip showing significant widening of the pubic symphysis and fracture-dislocation of the left hip
Figure 2
Figure 2
Reconstruction CT scan suggesting pubic symphysis agenesis instead of a pelvic ring injury
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pre-trauma voiding cystourethrogram of the patient confirming pubic symphysis agenesis
Figure 4
Figure 4
Surgical fixation of the posterior column acetabular fracture
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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