An Unusual Presentation of a Left Extra-acetabular Trochanteric Bursa Abscess

TL;DR

A rare case of a hip bursa abscess with unusual features was found during a cadaveric dissection.

Contribution

This case report describes an unusual presentation of a trochanteric bursa abscess with fibrotic and proteinaceous tissue.

Findings

An extra-acetabular trochanteric abscess was identified during cadaveric dissection.

The abscess contained irregular fibrotic and proteinaceous tissue with inclusion bodies.

No malignancy or granulomatous inflammation was observed, suggesting a chronic inflammatory process.

Abstract

Trochanteric bursitis is a common cause of lateral hip pain, particularly among elderly and postmenopausal females, but abscess formation within the trochanteric bursa is exceedingly rare. We report an unusual extra-acetabular trochanteric abscess identified during cadaveric dissection of an elderly female, characterized by irregular fibrotic and proteinaceous tissue with multiple inclusion bodies but no evidence of malignancy or granulomatous inflammation. Although limited by an absent clinical history, the gross and histopathologic findings suggest a chronic inflammatory or degenerative process consistent with synovial osteochondromatosis of the trochanteric bursa.

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