Hydatid bone disease of the humerus: A case report from East Africa

Skeletal hydatidosis is extremely rare and involvement of the long bones of the appendicular skeleton is exceptional. We report on a case of a 68-year-old Ugandan woman who presented with a long standing history of a non-healing fracture of the mid-diaphysis of the right humerus. She had undergone multiple surgeries in peripheral health centres during the previous years. A shoulder disarticulation was carried out in our facility in agreement with the patient, who refused any other attempt of bone reconstruction. A diagnosis of hydatid bone disease was confirmed intra-operatively. There is no recurrence of the disease for a two-year follow-up period. To our knowledge this is the first case report of skeletal hydatosis in Uganda. It emphasises the diagnostic difficulties and delays, and how this led to inadequate management for the patient in this case.