Conservative treatment of early-onset tubercular periprosthetic joint infection following total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Tubercular periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) are uncommon diseases in developed countries. Therefore, the systematic screening for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) is not currently recommended before a total knee arthroplasty procedure. However, due to the new human migration flows and higher mycobacterial infection rates, tuberculosis could represent a rare but potential cause for PJI. Controversies about tubercular PJI diagnosis, management and treatment still exist due to a lack of clinical evidence. In the current report we present the case of an early-onset M. tuberculosis PJI of the knee and its successful conservative treatment with two years follow-up.