Conservative treatment of early-onset tubercular periprosthetic joint infection following total knee arthroplasty

J Infect Dev Ctries. 2020 Feb 29;14(2):223-227. doi: 10.3855/jidc.12053.

Abstract

Tubercular periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) are uncommon diseases in developed countries. Therefore, the systematic screening for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is not currently recommended before a total knee arthroplasty procedure. However, due to the new human migration flows and higher mycobacterial infection rates, tuberculosis could represent a rare but potential cause for PJI. Controversies about tubercular PJI diagnosis, management and treatment still exist due to a lack of clinical evidence. In the current report we present the case of an early-onset M. tuberculosis PJI of the knee and its successful conservative treatment with two years follow-up.

Keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; extrapulmonary tuberculosis; musculoskeletal tuberculosis; periprosthetic joint infection; revision surgery; total knee arthroplasty.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / adverse effects
  • Conservative Treatment
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / classification
  • Prosthesis-Related Infections / diagnosis*
  • Prosthesis-Related Infections / microbiology*
  • Prosthesis-Related Infections / therapy
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tuberculosis / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology*
  • Tuberculosis / therapy

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents