Rapid destructive coxopathy (RDC) is known as a disease condition in which severe destruction of the hip joint progresses rapidly. The pathophysiology and etiology are still unknown. It often needs to be differentiated from leg pain caused by lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Here, we report a case of bilateral RDC while treating LSS.
An 80-year-old woman complained of bilateral thigh pain 5 years ago, when she was diagnosed with LSS, and her pain was relieved by medication and L3 nerve root block. Her symptoms were worsened 6 months ago, and she was referred to our hospital. She could not walk more than 10 meters due to severe bilateral thigh pain, and ranges of motion of the hip joints were slightly limited. Her radiographs and MRI showed destruction of the upper part of the bilateral femoral heads and acetabula. She underwent bilateral total hip arthroplasties. She tolerated tis procedure well, and postoperative course was uneventful. She could walk independently at the final follow-up.
RDC is occasionally associated with spinal disorder such as LSS. Although RDC is a rare disease condition, it should be taken into consideration as differential diagnosis in the patients with lumbar disorders during follow-up.
