Osteomyelitis of the symphysis pubis: a separate disease from osteitis pubis. Report of three cases and review of the literature.

We reviewed the case of three of our own patients who had osteomyelitis of the symphysis pubis, as well as those of twenty-five patients described in the literature. The early symptoms of osteomyelitis of the symphysis mimic those of osteitis pubis. Osteomyelitis almost invariably is preceded by urological or gynecological surgery (often when a technical complication has occurred), and does not respond to shortterm antibiotic treatment. Characteristic radiographic findings develop. Osteomyelitis of the symphysis pubis should be treated by debridement and curettage, together with long-term treatment with an appropriately high dose of antibiotics.