ACUTE ATROPHIC CHARCOT’S DISEASE OF BOTH HIPS Report of a Case

Acute atrophic Charcot’s disease of the hip is not a common condition, and cases in which it is possible to demonstrate radiographically the rapidity of the destructive process are extremely rare. Chitty (1939) reported a case in which there was complete loss of one femoral head from Charcot’s disease five months after the patient had sustained a fracture of the pelvis, when both hips were seen to be normal radiographically. The case now reported is one of Charcot’s disease of both hips. The femoral head on one side is shown to have been completely absorbed in less than five months, with no history of precipitating injury. CASE REPORT The patient, a woman of sixty-four, gave a history that while walking in the house ten days before admission to hospital her left leg suddenly gave way and she fell to the ground, since when she had been unable to walk. Swelling of the whole leg commenced two days later, and gradually increased. At no time was there pain in the leg, but there had been “ pins and needles “ in bot