Sternoclavicular joint tuberculosis

Abstract

We studied five patients who presented with complaints of swelling of the sternoclavicular joint (SCJ), with pain and restriction of shoulder movements in some. There was no clinical or imaging evidence of pulmonary involvement in any of these patients. The diagnosis of SCJ tuberculosis (TB) was ascertained by histopathological evidence (n = 2), by Xpert MTB/RIF (n = 1) and based on clinical presentation and response to anti-TB treatment (n = 2). On follow-up, all patients had responded well to anti-TB treatment. TB should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with subacute/chronic SCJ arthritis, with or without pulmonary involvement, especially in high TB burden countries.

Keywords

• diagnosis
• sternoclavicular joint
• treatment
• tuberculosis