Idiopathic osteolysis of the acetabulum: a case report.

Primary idiopathic osteolysis (Gorham’s disease) is rare. It is characterised by the spontaneous onset of bone resorption without a known cause. Bones which previously appeared normal begin to resorb, partially or completely. Sometimes only a thin shell of cortical bone remains, and there is usually little replacement by fibrous tissue (Cannon 1986). This process can continue for years but in some cases stops spontaneously. The result of this osteolysis is deformity and impaired function (Hardegger, Simpson and Segmueller 1985). Cannon (1986) discusses the aetiopathology of Gorham’s disease, but the exact mechanism of the osteolysis is still unknown.