Abstract

CEPERO MORALES, Raúl J.; MARTINEZ LARRARTE, José P.; SOSA ALMEIDA, Mirta  and  MOLINERO RODRIGUEZ, Claudino. Osteoartritis tuberculosa. Rev cubana med [online]. 1998, vol.37, n.3, pp. 190-194. ISSN 1561-302X.

It is presented the case of a male patient complaining of pain on moving the right elbow and of tumefaction over the past two months. He had also noted occasional morning fever, s 10-pound weight loss, and episodes of coughing with expectoration during the last year. Inflammatory signs were observed on the right elbow with limitation to flexoextension and pain on palpation over the retro-olecranal grooves. The radiological examinations were compatible with a septic arthritis. The results of the hematological tests were: erythrosedimentation 92 mm/h and hemoglobin 10.0 g/L. The tuberculin test was positive. This led us to the presumptive diagnosis of osteoarticular tuberculosis that was confirmed some weeks later with the result of the bacteriological study of the synovial fluid, where the presence of Koch´s bacillus was reported. Laboratory tests were negative. The response to the treatment applied according to the National Program for the Control of Pulmonary Tuberculosis was effective. Seven months after treatment the patient was discharged with no sequela.

Keywords : TUBERCULOSIS, OSTEOARTICULAR; OSTEOARTHRITIS.

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