Arthrite tuberculeuse sur prothèse

Tuberculosis arthritis on prosthesis is mainly the consequence of a local reactivation of a tuberculosis infection. The clinical characteristics are broadly identical to those of other infections on prostheses except that the clinical course is often chronic, with sometimes repeated loosening when the infection has been overlooked and the presence of cold abscesses and fistulization at the skin is not uncommon. Fistulas can become infected with a common germ, which can delay the diagnosis of tuberculosis. This is the case of a 51-year-old man operated on in 2001 for a total hip prosthesis, in whom the radiological check-up revealed a mechanical loosening of the prosthesis. A surgical re-intervention was decided for this patient. Intraoperatively, rice-like granules were discovered next to the acetabulum. Histological examination of the periprosthetic samples taken showed that the rice-like granules responded to coalescent nodular formations surrounded by dense collagenous fibrosis and centered by an eosinophilic acellular amorphous necrosis. Giant scattered Langhans cells were focally noted. The final pathological diagnosis was that of caseo-fibrous tuberculosis. The patient received anti-tuberculosis treatment. He is currently undergoing orthopedic consultation. The clinician must think about tuberculous arthritis in case of mechanical loosening of a prosthesis. It is therefore essential to take microbiological samples, to look for BAAR with culture in a specific environment in search of mycobacteria. The pathological examination confirms the diagnosis with certainty.