Gonococcal osteomyelitis and Kirschner-wire infection of the hand

Extra-genital gonococcal infection is a rare complication of sexually transmitted Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection. We report a case of gonococcal infection presenting post insertion of a Kirschner wire (K-wire) several decades after previous treatment for pelvic gonococcal infection. The diagnosis was made after removal of the hardware, with good outcome. Few cases of gonococcal osteomyelitis or prosthetic material infection are reported in the literature. The duration of antimicrobial treatment is not defined.