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Case Reports
. 2017 Aug 11;5(3):180-183.
doi: 10.1055/s-0037-1605591. eCollection 2017 Sep.

Tuberculosis of the Knee: A Case Report and Literature Review

Francesco M Uboldi  1 , Silvia Limonta  2 , Paolo Ferrua  1 , Andrea Manunta  3 , Antonio Pellegrini  4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Tuberculosis of the Knee: A Case Report and Literature Review

Francesco M Uboldi et al. Joints. .

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is currently in resurgence due to immigration from endemic areas. Skeletal TB frequently mimics more common etiologies and can be difficult to diagnose. A case of TB knee arthritis in a young woman with painful and swelling knee is reported here. Arthrotomy was performed and inflamed synovial tissue was found, with multiple rice bodies in the eroded lateral femoral condyle. The patient was treated with an antituberculosis polytherapy and at 1-year follow-up, she reported relief from pain and swelling. We believe that all surgeons assessing patients from TB endemic regions have to adopt an updated approach to TB treatment. Thus, a literature review is also reported here on the current strategies used in different knee TB cases.

Keywords: arthritis; knee; skeletal; therapy; tuberculosis.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
X-ray of the knee showing a bone lesion (arrow) of lateral femoral condyle.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
T2-weighted MR scan with hypointense core plus hyperintense surrounding the lesion (arrow). MR, magnetic resonance.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Rice bodies in the lesion of lateral femoral condyle.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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