Heterotopic ossification in hemiplegia following stroke.

Heterotopic ossification is a recognized complication in patients with head injury, burns, paraplegia, or direct trauma to muscle tissue. Heterotopic ossification with hemiplegia following stroke is considered rare. A case of a 53-year-old patient with right hemiplegia who developed painful right hip, limiting range of movement and progress in ambulation, is presented. X-ray and laboratory tests confirmed the presence of heterotopic ossification, suggesting that this condition may not be so rare in patients with a cerebrovascular accident, but may escape recognition, with pain being considered to stem from soft-tissue strain, premorbid arthritis, or altered sensation commonly associated with stroke.