Osteolysis, also known as “disappearing bone disease,” is a condition where parts of your skeleton begin to disappear and is usually a side effect of another underlying cause taking place in your body. Osteolysis tends to be idiopathic which means it came about spontaneously and the cause is undiscovered. The first case of Osteolysis was reported in 1838 in which an 18 year old man’s humerus disappeared completely. It disappeared over a course of 11 years, in which he suffered two fractures to the bone. The man was still able to perform life sustaining activities up until his death at age 70. The Gorham-Stout syndrome acts as a severe case of idiopathic Osteolysis of either a single bone, or bones that are touching, without regarding the joint
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A minor fall on the right hip caused the head of the femur to deteriorate, and the right leg was reported to be 5 cm shorter than the left leg. A biopsy was taken and two weeks later a prosthetic hip replacement was performed. The biopsy revealed an increased amount of osteoclasts which are bone cells that no longer secrete extracellular matrix. The six month follow-up there was no sign of returning Gorham’s disease. The second case was reported in 1972 when a 70-year-old woman complained about slow progressing pain in her right hip. Radiology tests showed damage on her right femur. The affected area was taken out and replaced with a prosthetic. Again, over the course of three years there was no sign of returning Gorham’s disease. Case three was in 1984 in which a 19-year old female complained about pain in the right side of her chest. Tests showed a fracture of the tenth rib, and Osteolysis on the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth ribs. A biopsy was conducted on the tenth rib and it revealed very active osteoclasts. All three ribs were removed and the patient recovered very nicely with no return of Osteolysis. Case four took place in 1987 when a 78-year-old woman found random disappearance of her pubis and ischium shortly after a hip replacement due to arthritis. The biopsy found a large amount of both blood vessels and osteoclasts. The patient was treated by physiotherapy and discharged. Seven week later there was no sign of returning Osteolysis. Case five consisted of an 83-year-old woman with major Osteolysis on the right humerus. She had no past of damage on her hip. Tests showed blood vessels and bone fragments absorbed by osteoclasts. The last case reported a 56-old-woman who was admitted into the hospital with complaints of pain in her right shoulder over an 8 week period. Tests showed the head of the right humerus as damaged.
A minor fall on the right hip caused the head of the femur to deteriorate, and the right leg was reported to be 5 cm shorter than the left leg. A biopsy was taken and two weeks later a prosthetic hip replacement was performed. The biopsy revealed an increased amount of osteoclasts which are bone cells that no longer secrete extracellular matrix. The six month follow-up there was no sign of returning Gorham’s disease. The second case was reported in 1972 when a 70-year-old woman complained about slow progressing pain in her right hip. Radiology tests showed damage on her right femur. The affected area was taken out and replaced with a prosthetic. Again, over the course of three years there was no sign of returning Gorham’s disease. Case three was in 1984 in which a 19-year old female complained about pain in the right side of her chest. Tests showed a fracture of the tenth rib, and Osteolysis on the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth ribs. A biopsy was conducted on the tenth rib and it revealed very active osteoclasts. All three ribs were removed and the patient recovered very nicely with no return of Osteolysis. Case four took place in 1987 when a 78-year-old woman found random disappearance of her pubis and ischium shortly after a hip replacement due to arthritis. The biopsy found a large amount of both blood vessels and osteoclasts. The patient was treated by physiotherapy and discharged. Seven week later there was no sign of returning Osteolysis. Case five consisted of an 83-year-old woman with major Osteolysis on the right humerus. She had no past of damage on her hip. Tests showed blood vessels and bone fragments absorbed by osteoclasts. The last case reported a 56-old-woman who was admitted into the hospital with complaints of pain in her right shoulder over an 8 week period. Tests showed the head of the right humerus as damaged.