Bone and joint tuberculosis, Review of the patients treated in the Shafa Yahiaian Hospital, 1350-74

Abstract

This paper represents a retrospective study of 142 patients with skeletal tuberculosis during the years 1350 to 1357 at Shafa Yahiaian Hospital. Confirmation of diagnosis is made by positive culture or pathology. The mean age of the patients was 27.5 years (range from 1.5 to 72 years). Most of the patients were in the second, first and third decade respectively. 45.3% of the patients were female. The spine was the most common site and was affected in 40.88% of the patients. The next sites were knee, hip and elbow, in order of frequency. The commonest site in spine was thoracic. The mean of sedimentation rate in the first visit was 48. Tuberculin skin test was negative in 23% of the patients. Evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in chest radiography was present in 48.61% of the patients. Five patients had tuberculosis osteomylitis without involvement of the joint.

Keywords

• Bone and joint tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis osteomyelitis