Ranker Alexander, Wegener Bernd, Winkelmann Andreas, Irnich Dominik
Klinik und Poliklinik für Orthopädie, Physikalische Medizin und Rehabilitation, Klinikum der Universität München, LMU München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland.
Interdisziplinäre Schmerzambulanz, Klinikum der Universität München - Campus Innenstadt, LMU München, Pettenkoferstr. 8a, 80336, München, Deutschland.
Schmerz. 2019 Dec;33(6):549-554. doi: 10.1007/s00482-019-0392-0.
This article presents the case of a 46-year-old woman with fibromyalgia with an undetected fracture of the coccyx. The heterogeneity of the symptoms of patients suffering from fibromyalgia including chronic widespread pain, vegetative and functional disorders, mental and physical exhaustion as well as sleep disorders can cause accidentally undetected comorbidities, especially if these are rare and predominantly present with pain as the main symptom. In the present case the reason for symptoms was detected only after 14 months of ineffective therapies and diagnostic procedures. The coccygeal pain was eliminated through a coccygectomy as ultima ratio. It should be nevertheless emphasized that patients with fibromyalgia suffer from a central pain-processing disorder. Indications for operative treatment must be very carefully considered. Surgery should only be considered in consultation with the patient and after failed conservative therapy.
