Atypical femoral fracture in an osteogenesis imperfecta patient successfully treated with teriparatide.

OBJECTIVE

We report a case of a successfully healed atypical femoral fracture (AFF) following treatment with teriparatide in a patient with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). To our knowledge, no successful treatment of AFFs with teriparatide in this subpopulation has ever been described.

METHODS

This is a case report of an AFF treated with teriparatide.

RESULTS

The patient was treated with hormone replacement therapy for 18 years and bisphosphonates for 9 years before suffering a spontaneous AFF in the form of a dislocated noncomminute transverse fracture of the right femoral shaft, and an open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with a T2 Femoral Nail was done. Due to nonunion and another fracture distal to the nail, the patient was reoperated on with exchange ORIF and off-label treatment with teriparatide 20 μg/day was started. An X-ray 1 month later showed early signs of fracture healing. A subsequent X-ray 6 months after the last operation showed a solid healing of both right femoral fractures.

CONCLUSION

This is a rare case that highly suggests a potential fracture healing effect of teriparatide treatment and highlights a potential significant practical therapeutic consideration in relation to the management of AFF with delayed healing.