Köhler disease
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Köhler disease Classification and external resources |
|
| Skeleton of foot. Medial aspect. | |
| ICD-10 | M92.6 |
| ICD-9 | 732.5 |
| DiseasesDB | 7204 |
| eMedicine | orthoped/410 |
Köhler disease (also spelled "Kohler") is a rare bone disorder of the foot found in children between six and nine years of age. It was first described in 1908 by Alban Köhler (1874-1947), a German radiologist. [1][2]
It is caused when the navicular bone temporarily loses its blood supply. As a result, tissue in the bone dies and the bone collapses. When treated, it causes no long term problems. As the navicular bone gets back to normal, symptoms typically abate.
Contents |
[edit] Symptoms
Sufferers experience pain and swelling in the middle part of the foot and usually limp as a result. The disease typically affects boys, but it can also affect girls. Five is the age of boys most often affected and patients often complain of pain over the apex. X-ray of both feet is used to diagnose disease. The affected foot has dense flattened navicular bone.
[edit] Causes
Although no definitive cause has been found yet, the disease may be due to strain on a weak navicular bone.
[edit] Treatment
The patient is often fit with a cast that stops below the knee. Moderate exercise is often beneficial.
[edit] References
- ^ A. Köhler. Über eine häufige, bisher anscheinend unbekannte Erkrankung einzelner kindlicher Knochen. Münchener medizinische Wochenschrift. 1908, 55: 1923-1925.
- ^ synd/2676 at Who Named It

