Diabetes Mellitus Presenting as “Acute Osteomyelitis” of the Index Finger

Abstract

A case of previously undiagnosed maturity onset diabetes in a fifty-eight-year-old man with a “septic index finger” is reported. Intial X-rays showed gross destruction of the distal phalanx, suggestive of acute osteomyelitis. Control of the diabetes combined with minimal debridement of the finger resulted in healing of the lesion. X-rays taken four weeks later showed complete reconstitution of the distal phalanx, confirming the need to be conservative in the management of lesions associated with diabetes. In spite of a careful and extensive search into the literature covering unusual presentations of diabetes mellitus, the author is unable to trace a similar recorded case involving the digit of upper limb.