Tuberculosis of the Navicular Bone of the Left Foot Without Pulmonary Involvement in a Fifteen-Year-Old Indian Boy: A Rare Case Report

Tuberculosis of the bones and joints is a relatively rare entity, even in endemic countries. The disease is an outcome of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. Tuberculosis of the small bones of the foot is extremely rare, requires a high index of suspicion for establishing the diagnosis, and is often associated with delayed diagnosis, ultimately affecting the treatment outcomes. Globally, tuberculosis of the navicular bone of the foot is an infrequently reported condition. We herein present a case of isolated tuberculosis of the navicular bone without pulmonary involvement. The patient reported complaints of pain and swelling in his left foot and underwent a detailed diagnostic workup. A final diagnosis was made with fine needle aspiration cytology, biopsy, culture, radiography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). He was initiated on anti-tubercular chemotherapy for twelve months, with a substantial improvement in his symptoms. This case is very rare, as no such case with similar clinical features in this age group has ever been reported in the world.