Pycnodysostosis presenting with bilateral subtrachanteric fractures: case report.

A 50-year-old woman had bilateral subtrochanteric fractures over a period of 9 months; both fractures were found to be in osteosclerotic femora. The patient was multiparous with 5 normal children. Since subtrochanteric fractures represent only 5 per cent of all femoral neck fractures the occurrence of bilateral subtrochanteric fractures in a relatively young woman suggested an unsuspected underlying disease. Clinical and laboratory investigations showed no evidence of systemic, metabolic, infective or malignant disease. The patient's short stature, peculiar facies in association with osteosclerosis in medullated long bones and typical radiographic findings: hypoplastic claviculae, absent ungual tufts of distal phalanges, hypoplastic paranasal sinuses, and obtuse mandibular angles suggested the proposed diagnosis of pycnodysostosis, a rare autosomal recessive osteosclerotic condition, that has been described in less than 50 cases, including only one Jew. Despite 2 technically difficult surgical hip operations, a 3-year follow-up showed good remedullarization of both fractured femora and no limitation in the patient's daily activities.