Cholesterol granuloma presenting as a large calcaneal cyst: A case report

Abstract

Cholesterol granuloma (CG) is a rare chronic inflammatory lesion that typically affects the temporal bone. Involvement of the appendicular skeleton is extremely rare, with only a limited number of cases described in the literature. We report a unique case of CG occurring in the calcaneus. We present a 23-year-old female amateur athlete with a 6-month history of pain and swelling of the left calcaneus following physical activity. Imaging indicated a large calcaneal cyst, and the patient underwent curettage and bone grafting. The histopathological examination revealed CG, making this the first reported case involving the calcaneus. This case highlights the need to include this rare disease in the differential diagnosis of cystic bone lesions. Level of evidence IV; Case series; Therapeutic studies - investigating the results of treatment