Rapidly progressive hip disease masquerading as Gorham′s syndrome of the femoral head

Rapidly destructive hip disease (RDHD) is a rare syndrome of unknown etiology, resulting in rapid deterioration of both the femoral and acetabular aspects of the hip joint with disappearance of the femoral head. Differential diagnosis should include those conditions known to potentially lead to rapid hip destruction, such as septic arthritis, metabolic bone diseases, autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, malignancy, and classical osteonecrosis. Sequential X-rays in patients with fast worsening of hip symptoms and a high degree of clinical suspicion seem mandatory to avoid extensive joint destruction and facilitate better arthroplasty outcomes in these patients. Because of the degree of joint deformity and the patient′s level of disability, the typical treatment of rapidly destructive arthropathy is total hip arthroplasty. In this report, we present a clinical case of left RDHD offering a useful review for the diagnosis and management of this condition.