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Tuberculosis of the shoulder joint
Ahmet Kapukaya1, Mehmet Subasi, Yasar Bukte
1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Joint Bone Spine
|October 11, 2005
Summary
Tuberculosis of the shoulder is rare but treatable. Early diagnosis and a four-drug regimen followed by a two-drug regimen led to complete healing in all 11 patients.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
Background:
- Skeletal tuberculosis is less common than pulmonary tuberculosis.
- Shoulder joint involvement is infrequent, posing diagnostic challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report the experience of treating tuberculosis of the shoulder in 11 patients.
- To highlight the diagnostic and therapeutic considerations for this rare condition.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of 11 patients (7 male, 4 female) aged 19-55.
- Diagnosis based on clinical, radiographic features, and confirmed by open biopsy.
- Treatment involved a four-drug regimen for 2 months, followed by a two-drug regimen for 10 months.
Main Results:
- All 11 patients achieved healed lesions without recurrence after a mean follow-up of 28.72 months.
- Outcomes included painless, mobile shoulders in 5 cases, and mildly restricted motion in 6 cases.
- No patient had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Conclusions:
- Tuberculosis of the shoulder can be difficult to diagnose early, impacting quality of life.
- Tuberculosis should be suspected in chronic shoulder pain and considered in the differential diagnosis of osseous pathologies.
- Arthrodesis is reserved for refractory cases after adequate chemotherapy and rehabilitation.