Late sequelae of infantile meningococcemia in growing bones of children.

Multiple, irregular ball-and-socket deformities at the ends of long bones were noted in four children several years after they had had meningococcemia. Even though these lesions were clinically unsuspected at the time of the fulminant disease, they were probably the result of ischemia secondary to septic emboli to the epiphyseal vessels, which occurred at the same time as soft-tissue necrosis elsewhere. The individual lesions were radiologically identical to the metaphyseal cupping that has been reported following trauma to the growth plate.