A case of calcaneal osteomyelitis from the prehispanic population of El Hierro (Canary Islands)

作者：Gonzalez Reimers Emilio^*; Trujillo Mederos Aioze; Ordonez Alejandra C; Arnay da la Rosa Matilde

来源：International Journal of Paleopathology, 2015, 8: 36-41.

DOI：10.1016/j.ijpp.2014.08.004

• Calcaneal osteomyelitis
• Infectious disease-Paleopathology
• Canary Islands-Prehispanic population
• Calcaneal lytic lesions

A right calcaneus with a deep resorptive lesion surrounded by an osteosclerotic reaction in its lateral aspect was found among intermingled bone remains in a collective burial cave of the island of El Hierro, in the Canary Archipelago. It belonged to an adult prehispanic man, with an estimated antiquity of approximate to 1000 years BP. The bone shows a penetrating lesion in the lateral aspect slightly superior-anterior to the calcaneal tuberosity, surrounded by a bone rim, and communicating with a large cavity opening cranially where Achilles tendon is inserted. The lesion is suggestive of calcaneal osteomyelitis. The initiating cause was probably a puncture wound, perhaps with a retained foreign body that caused the large abscess. Other infectious and non-infectious etiologic possibilities are discussed.

• 出版日期2015-3