TUBERCULOUS OSTEITIS IN LIMBS - 25 CASE-REPORTS

Tuberculous osteitis is a rare condition that can be difficult to diff erenciate from hone tumor on X-ray films. The purpose of this retrospe ctive study was to analyse the epidemiologic, diagnostic and therapeut ic aspects of this disorder. Data from 25 patients (13 men; 12 women; mean age = 37) were collected between 1984 and 1993. The source of con tagion was traced in 32% of the cases and 24% of patients were known a s tuberculous, Patients searched medical attention because of pain in 84% of cases. The greater trochanter was involved in more than 50% of cases. The definite diagnosis was obtained by examination of a surgica l biopsy and the anti-bacillary treatment led to recovery in all cases . This study highlights that tuberculosis must be considered when inve stigating a bone lacuna, all the more so when the greater trochanter i s involved, in a country where tuberculosis is endemic.