Nontraumatic Osteonecrosis of the Distal Tibia: A Case Presentation and Review of the Literature

Osteonecrosis, although commonly occurring in the hip, can also affect the leg and foot. In the foot, it most commonly occurs in the talus. The incidence of osteonecrosis occurring in the tibia is relatively rare. We report a case of a woman who presented to our clinic with ankle pain that was idiopathic in nature. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging showed findings consistent with osteonecrosis of the bilateral distal tibias and several other lesions located in the shoulder, hip, and calcaneus. The present report also serves as a review of both etiology and treatment of osteonecrosis as it relates to the lower extremity. (C) 2016 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.