Tuberculous osteomyelitis of proximal fibula: An unusual presentation of tuberculosis

Abstract

Tubercular involvement of the proximal fibula is very rare. We present a case of tuberculosis of proximal fibula in an immunocompetent young female. She was diagnosed clinically as a case of cellulitis. Radiological investigations including magnetic resonance imaging revealed a destructive lesion in her right proximal fibula. Finally, by fine-needle aspiration cytology and GeneXpert polymerase chain reaction, a diagnosis of tuberculous osteomyelitis of proximal fibula was established. She was managed nonoperatively with multidrug antitubercular chemotherapy. A high index of suspicion is required to make a diagnosis of musculoskeletal tuberculosis of such rare site in early stages.

Keywords

• antitubercular therapy
• fine-needle aspiration cytology
• genexpert
• proximal fibula
• tuberculous osteomyelitis