[Tuberculosis of the knee joint in a BCG-vaccinated child]

The case of a 17-month-old boy with tuberculosis of the knee is presented. Problems in diagnosis and treatment of this uncommon joint disease are pointed out. This complication is becoming nearly unknown, so that nowadays the diagnosis and therapy are almost regularly delayed. In every case of disease of the knee all diagnostic methods have to be used to recognize it. In this case, 5 months of therapy elsewhere passed before the diagnosis was made at a surgical exploration with biopsy of the joint. After drainage, inmobilisation and chemotherapy the healing was uneventful. The patient has no complaints and has full range movement of the knee 1/2 year after the end of therapy.