J Korean Orthop Assoc.  1984 Dec;19(6):1117-1122. 10.4055/jkoa.1984.19.6.1117.

A Clinical Study of Congenital Syphilis (in the View of Bone Change)

• Kang CN
• Roh KJ
• Wang JM
• Choi KH
• Youn WS

• KMID: 2446517
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4055/jkoa.1984.19.6.1117

Abstract

Syphilis was known to be generalized disease and it had been decreased until 1960's. But, it has been increased again recently. The author analysed the 22 cases of congenital syphilis which were treated at department of orthopaedic surgery at Ewha Womans University Hospital from Jan. 1979 to July 1983 and the following results were obtained. 1. There were no significant changes of the number of patient by years. 2. Common symptom and sign were hepatosplenomegaly(84%), fever(62%) and skin changes(50%), and pseudoparalysis was observed in one case. 3. Radiologic bone changes were observed in 11 cases (50%) and the following results were obtained: a. Below the two week old, there was relatively low incidence of bone change with 22%. b. There was high incidence of bone change in prematurity with 75%. c. Common features of bone changes were periosteal reaction, osteochondritis and metaphysitis (91%). Pathologic fracture was observed. in one case. 4. Although we have observed the bone changes only in 50% of cases, all the other reports has reported more than 80% and we thought that radiologic bone change would aid the diagnosis of congenital syphilis.

Keyword

Congenital syphilis; Bone change

MeSH Terms

Clinical Study*
Diagnosis
Female
Fractures, Spontaneous
Humans
Incidence
Osteochondritis
Skin
Syphilis
Syphilis, Congenital*