Tuberculosis of the Cuboid: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem. According to a recent World Health Organization report, it ranks as the second leading cause of death from an infectious disease worldwide. According to the "UK Health Protection Agency Tuberculosis in the UK: 2012 Report," 8963 cases were reported in the United Kingdom in 2011. London had the greatest proportion of cases in the United Kingdom and the greatest rate of disease. TB affecting the foot is rare, affecting about 10% of all skeletal TB cases. However, owing to the current patterns of global immigration, with significant volumes of people migrating out of endemic countries, it has become a disease that physicians and surgeons in developed countries should be more aware of in today's practice. To the best of our knowledge, we present the first adult case of TB of the cuboid in the United Kingdom and the first adult case documented outside of India. We present the case details and the results of a thorough review of the literature. TB of the foot and ankle poses a diagnostic challenge because of the propensity of TB to mimic other pathologic entities radiologically. Tissue diagnosis and antitubercular medication is the mainstay of diagnosis and treatment, respectively.

[Tarsal osteoarthritis: a rare localisation of tuberculosis]. / Ostéoarthrite tarsienne: une localisation rare de la tuberculose.

We report the case of a 39-year-old woman with an uneventful medical history who presented an inflammatory left foot with no notion of trauma or fever. The plain x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated talonavicular and subtalar osteoarthritis. A surgical biopsy with excision of inflammatory and necrotic tissue and removal of a fistular tract was performed. Histology revealed the presence of granulomas with caseous central necrosis suggesting tuberculosis of the bone. The diagnosis was confirmed when bacteriology samples grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antituberculosis drugs were administered for twelve months. At 24 months, the patient presents a painful stiff rear foot after the development of secondary talonavicular degeneration. This case illustrates a particular clinical presentation of tuberculosis. This diagnosis should be considered in the presence of atypical bony lesions with a chronic course. Early diagnosis enables proper therapeutic management. Useful diagnostic imaging techniques include plain x-rays, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Certain diagnosis is based on bacteriological and histological examinations.

Scedosporium apiospermum mycetoma with bone involvement successfully treated with voriconazole.

Treatment of Scedosporium apiospermum mycetoma usually requires limb amputation. A 49-year-old woman, from Ivory Coast, was diagnosed with Madura foot in 1995. She failed to respond to several treatments including itraconazole, fluconazole and co-trimoxazole, and refused limb amputation. In December 2002 she was admitted to hospital in France with a painful, swollen right leg and foot. She had no fever and C-reactive protein was 120 mg/l. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the destruction of tarsus bones with a tibia extension. Voriconazole (400 mg/day) treatment was initiated in March 2003; a significant clinical improvement was observed within 4 months as confirmed by C-reactive protein (16 mg/l) and MRI. Voriconazole was maintained for 18 months with good tolerance. Cholestasis appeared after the first month and remained stable. In October 2004 voriconazole was discontinued due to side effects on the liver (alanine aminotransferase 17 times the normal level); MRI showed impressive regression of bone lesions. As of July 2005, the patient remains clinically well. Voriconazole appears to be a promising drug for the treatment of S. apiospermum mycetomas.

Tuberculosis around the tarsal navicular: A rare entity.

Osteoarticular TB around the tarsal navicular is a chronic, uncommon condition affecting the midfoot, which causes significant morbidity to the patient. Tuberculosis around the tarsal navicular is rarely described in the literature. A series of three cases - two involving the talo-navicular joint and one involving the naviculo-cuneiform joint is described. Biopsy was used in all the cases for achieving diagnosis. All patients had good to fair outcome following medical management with anti-tubercular therapy. Due to the pauci-bacillary nature of the disease, a positive culture of the disease is not always possible. The diagnosis depends on a positive histopathology finding. Once an early diagnosis is achieved, antitubercular therapy is usually the mainstay. Clinical awareness of the rare presentations of this disease can help in early detection, adequate treatment and good to fair outcomes. Due to the destruction of the midfoot joints, some patients report difficulty in walking on uneven surfaces and barefoot, for which triple arthrodesis may be offered.

Drug resistant tuberculous osteomyelitis of small bones of foot.

Drug resistant tubercular osteomyelitis of small bones of foot is not reported frequently. The case described here had isoniazid resistant tuberculous osteomyelitis of small bones of foot. The probable mechanism was endogenous reactivation of previously disseminated foci of drug resistant bacilli from the primary site in the lung.

Disseminated coccidioidomycosis masquerading as tendinitis.

The authors report on a case of disseminated coccidioidomycosis of the medial cuneiform. This is a rare finding, with only a few reports of Coccidioides immitis being cultured from the bones of the foot. A brief overview of coccidioidomycosis, pertinent imaging studies, and histopathologic evaluation are presented.

Isolated calcaneocuboid joint tuberculosis: a rare case report.

Tubercular arthritis affecting the foot is uncommon. Isolated calcaneocuboid joint tuberculosis has never been reported in the literature. Herein we report a case of 43-year-old male who presented with insidious onset pain in hindfoot of 4 months duration. Radiograph revealed destruction of calcaneocuboid joint along with cuboid. Computed Tomography scan further consolidated the findings. Diagnosis was confirmed from aspiration from joint with culture of mycobacterium tuberculosis. Anti-tubercular chemotherapy was started and good clinical response was noted. We reported this case because of its rarity to involve calcaneocuboid joint and the excellent outcome with medical treatment.

Mycetoma (Madura foot): A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Mycetoma is a chronic disease, which is endemic in tropical and subtropical countries. We report a rare case of mycetoma located on the foot of a patient living in a temperate-climate country followed by a short discussion. OBSERVATION: A 50-year-old woman with painless swelling in her left foot. The swelling started after a banal penetrating injury on the sole of her left foot 23 years ago. X-rays images showed multiple osteolytic lesions of the tarsus. The histological analyses identified the fungus madurella mycetomatis. The treatment was radical surgery (amputation). The patient had a tibial prosthesis and recovered an autonomous gait. DISCUSSION: Mycetoma is a chronic granulomatous inflammatory response often with sinus tract formations due to fungal or bacterial organisms. The infection of the forefoot is quite typical. It is a slowly progressing disease affecting the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissues that can extent to the underlying bones. CONCLUSION: If it is not diagnosed early on, mycetoma can cause functional and esthetical impairments.

Primary subacute Salmonella osteomyelitis of the navicular bone in a child with normal immunity.

Primary subacute haematogenous osteomyelitis is one of the causes of limp. It usually involves tubular bones. Flat and small bones are affected less commonly. Diagnosis is difficult and usually takes weeks together for completion. Salmonella spp. can be isolated as a cause of primary subacute haematogenous osteomyelitis, if a usually underlying disorder, such as sickle cell anemia is associated. In this study, we present a child with normal immunity diagnosed as Salmonella primary subacute haematogenous osteomyelitis of the navicular bone, which is a rare condition. Primary subacute haematogenous osteomyelitis must be considered as a cause of limp for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Osteomyelitis concurrently caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

We report the case of a 59-year-old woman who presented with fever and a cutaneous ulcer on her left ankle. In addition to Staphylococcus aureus growth from a blood culture, S aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis were both isolated from tissue specimens. This case highlights that osteomyelitis may be concurrently caused by S aureus and M tuberculosis. In a patient whose osteomyelitis due to S aureus responds poorly to clinical therapy, clinicians should suspect coexisting tuberculosis, especially in areas where tuberculosis is endemic.

Treatment of coccidioidomycosis infection of bone with local amphotericin B suction-irrigation. Report of a case.

A 29-year-old man with coccidioidomycosis of the tarsal bones and toxic reactions to intravenous Amphotericin B was treated by surgical curettage and local suction-irrigation system of Amphotericin B. The patient responded to treatment and was free of disease 2 years later. Local suction-irrigation with Amphotericin B may be a valuable adjunct in the treatment of coccidioidomycosis infection of bone.

[Unexpected cause of a tarsal destruction in a diabetic patient]. / Unerwartete Ursache einer Fusswurzeldestruktion bei einem Diabetiker.

HISTORY: 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. INVESTIGATIONS: 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. DIAGNOSIS: Open lung tuberculosis with concomitant bone tuberculosis and tuberculous arthritis of the left middle foot and spondylodiscitis. THERAPY AND CLINICAL COURSE: 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. CONCLUSION: A combination of symptoms resulting from inflammatory bone processes and pulmonary symptoms is always suspicious for a hematogenic dissemination of a pulmonary tuberculosis.

Drug resistant tuberculous osteomyelitis of small bones of foot.

Drug resistant tubercular osteomyelitis of small bones of foot is not reported frequently. The case described here had isoniazid resistant tuberculous osteomyelitis of small bones of foot. The probable mechanism was endogenous reactivation of previously disseminated foci of drug resistant bacilli from the primary site in the lung.