Multifocal osteoarticular tuberculosis of the extremities in an immunocompetent young man without pulmonary disease: A case report

Clinical Outcomes of Delayed Osteoarticular Tuberculosis: A Review of 30 Cases

Purpose

The lack of knowledge regarding osteoarticular tuberculosis (TB) cases in Indonesia leads to delayed and chronic conditions. This study aims to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with osteoarticular TB.

Materials and Methods

Thirty osteoarticular cases were retrospectively analyzed, with a focus on non-immunocompromised patients without spine involvement. Chemotherapy length, operative treatment method, and infection recurrence were evaluated.

Results

The majority (60%) of patients were aged between 19 to 49 years. The most common complaint was painful swelling, particularly during physical activity. Weight-bearing joints, such as the hips, knees, and ankles, were the most affected. Laboratory results showed over half of the patients had anemia, 96% had elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and 76% had elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Radiological findings varied, with lytic lesions, abscesses, and joint destruction observed. All patients presented with pathognomonic histological tubercle appearances, with caseous necrosis, lymphocytes, and Langhans giant cells present. Twenty-nine cases were treated with anti-TB drugs for 12 months, while one recurrent case received the drugs for 24 months. All patients underwent surgery to gain local infection control.

Conclusion

Osteoarticular TB is a common manifestation of extrapulmonary TB and must not be overlooked. Early detection of osteoarticular TB may prevent limb morbidity. Although anti-TB drugs are the primary treatment for osteoarticular TB, in some cases, surgery is required to establish a diagnosis and gain local infection control.

Osteoarticular tuberculous infection of the first tarsometatarsal joint - a case report

Introduction

The prevalence of osteoarticular tuberculosis is increasing. Tuberculous infection in midfoot is rare. Establishing the diagnosis is difficult, leading to delay in management and leave many complications.

Case presentation

An 18-year-old man presents to our clinic with pain on his foot for the last 1 year. No other remarkable signs and symptoms. X-ray of his foot shown destruction of the 1st tarsometatarsal joint, later confirmed with MRI that shown synovitis and bone edema. Mantoux test and biopsy were done and established the diagnosis of tuberculous infection.

Clinical discussion

Intensive phase of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy was given for 2 months, followed by continuation phase for 7 months. Surgical management of debridement and arthrodesis were performed as adjunctive treatment. At 10 months follow-up patient was pain free, fully weight-bearing and no signs of further destruction.

Conclusion

Osteoarticular tuberculosis is difficult to diagnose, a high index of suspicion is required to avoid delay treatment and complications. Anti-TB chemotherapy is still the treatment of choice, with surgical management is reserved for advance case.

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Tuberculous infection in midfoot is rare, especially in young healthy patient

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Establishing the diagnosis is difficult, since laboratory and radiological findings often give non-spesific results

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Surgeon who works in endemic area has to have a High suspicion to the disease

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Conservative treatment with anti-TB chemotherapy is still the first-line treatment, with surgical management is reserved for late and advance presentation

Systemic Manifestation of Miliary Tuberculosis in Patient With Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy Presenting With Electrolyte Imbalance, Seizures, and Adrenal Insufficiency

Extra-pulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis can have diverse presentations depending on the affected organs. In this case report, we describe a case of a 50-year-old man of South Asian origin who presented with acute adrenal crisis on a background of undiagnosed miliary tuberculosis. Imaging after repeated episodes of adrenal crisis and seizures revealed bilaterally enlarged adrenals and cerebral tuberculomas, suggesting adrenal and central nervous system involvement. CT chest, abdomen and pelvis showed apical lung nodules and tree-in-bud appearance suggestive of tuberculosis. Due to high endogenous levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone and a flat response after a short synacthen test, a diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency secondary to tuberculosis infection was made. He remains well on anti-tuberculous chemotherapy, corticosteroids, and anti-epileptic medication. This case report exemplifies the unusual but life-threatening presentations of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis that may become increasingly common with immunosuppression because of the human immunodeficiency virus global epidemic and immunosuppressant therapies; therefore, a low index of suspicion is needed in these cases.

Is Mycobacterium tuberculosis carcinogenic to humans?

We highlight the ability of the tuberculosis (TB) causing bacterial pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), to induce key characteristics that are associated with established IARC classified Group 1 and Group 2A carcinogenic agents. There is sufficient evidence from epidemiological case-control, cohort and meta-analysis studies of increased lung cancer (LC) risk in pre-existing/active/old TB cases. Similar to carcinogens and other pathogenic infectious agents, exposure to aerosol-containing Mtb sprays in mice produce malignant transformation of cells that result in squamous cell carcinoma. Convincing, mechanistic data show several characteristics shared between TB and LC which include chronic inflammation, genomic instability and replicative immortality, just to name a few cancer hallmarks. These hallmarks of cancer may serve as precursors to malignant transformation. Together, these findings form the basis of our postulate that Mtb is a complete human pulmonary carcinogen. We also discuss how Mtb may act as both an initiating agent and promoter of tumor growth. Forthcoming experimental studies will not only serve as proof-of-concept but will also pivot our understanding of how to manage/treat TB cases as well as offer solutions to clinical conundrums of TB lesions masquerading as tumors. Clinical validation of our concept may also help pave the way for next generation personalized medicine for the management of pulmonary TB/cancer particularly for cases that are not responding well to conventional chemotherapy or TB drugs.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis: mimicking metastases in a patient with melanoma in a high TB-burden country; case report

This is a case report that includes an analysis about extrapulmonary tuberculosis and his singularities, cause can be confused with cancer. Our patient an 83-year-old woman from Pasto-Colombia presents a mimicking metastasis with melanoma. This guides us to understand that extrapulmonary tuberculosis is a rare pathology, but it should be considered as a potential differential diagnosis of any osteolytic lesion. That is the reasons for to be one of the great imitators in medicine, we come up with are totally necessary in a differential diagnosis with malignancies, a high index of suspicion.