The Department of Endocrinology, 
Vanishing Bone Disease of the Thoracic Cage: Challenges in the Management of a Rare Entity.
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
AACE clinical case reports Vol. 8 · Issue 2 · pp. 65-68
PMID 35415229 DOI 10.1016/j.aace.2021.09.002
Cite This Article
Kripa Elizabeth Cherian, Nitin Kapoor, Thomas V Paul. Vanishing Bone Disease of the Thoracic Cage: Challenges in the Management of a Rare Entity. AACE clinical case reports. 2022;8(2):65-68. doi:10.1016/j.aace.2021.09.002
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Vanishing bone disease (VBD) is a rare entity, characterized by massive osteolysis and lymphovascular proliferation. Our objective was to report the case of a 22-year-old man who presented with VBD of the ribs and the challenges involved with its management in this location.
CASE REPORT: A 22-year-old man presented with left-sided chest and back pain. An x-ray revealed that the fourth to sixth ribs on the left side of the chest were missing. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was normal (5 mm/h; normal value,
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: VBD may present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges; the abovementioned patient was diagnosed with VBD after excluding secondary causes of osteolysis. Although a high index of suspicion is required to diagnose VBD, it also mandates close monitoring and follow-up.
Keywords
- CT
- computed tomography
- Gorham-Stout syndrome
- IFN
- interferon
- VBD
- vanishing bone disease
- bisphosphonates
- interferon alfa-2b
- thoracic cage
- vanishing bone disease
