[Unexpected cause of a tarsal destruction in a diabetic patient]

A 56-year-old male patient has suffered from increasing pain in the left foot which limited the ability of walking since 18 months. There was a soft and painful swelling below the left inner ankle. In addition the patient reported back pain, but no neurological symptoms. Insulin dependent diabetes type II was known for 20 years, and a diabetic foot syndrome was suspected. 6 months prior the patient consulted his physician because of repeated acute bronchitis with expectoration and no improvement following antibiotic therapy.

Osteolytic destruction of the left middle foot and the tarsal with soft tissue infiltration according to MR, a spondylodiscitis of the lumbar vertebra I and II (MR) and mixed interstitial/alveolar infiltrates throughout the lung with a predominance in both upper lobes were found. The microbiological examination of sputum and biopsy of inflamed soft tissue of the left ankle revealed infection with mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Open lung tuberculosis with concomitant bone tuberculosis and tuberculous arthritis of the left middle foot and spondylodiscitis.

The antibiotic therapy consisted of a combination of five antibiotic drugs for 2 weeks and of a four drug combination for further 3.5 months. After that there will be a consolidation therapy with a two drug regime for 6 months. An orthopaedist is also involved. Surgical procedures with respect to the left foot will not be considered as long as the antibiotic therapy has not been finished.

A combination of symptoms resulting from inflammatory bone processes and pulmonary symptoms is always suspicious for a hematogenic dissemination of a pulmonary tuberculosis.