Severe Myositis Ossificans in a Paraplegic Trauma Patient: Influence in Pressure Sore Management

Myositis ossificans (MO) is a benign, progressive, ossifying lesion that displays a characteristic zonal histological appearance. MO traumatica is a localized form of heterotopic bone formation, associated with repetitive micro- and/or macrotrauma in the majority of cases. The importance of imaging to differentiate MO from sarcomatous change and to determine maturity of the lesion is identified because suboptimal operative intervention on immature MO inevitably results in recurrence. A severe case of MO in a 24-year-old paraplegic man with chronic bilateral greater trochanteric pressure sores is presented, and the importance of the MO in the etiology and treatment of this case is discussed. An extensive review of the literature is included and integrated.