TUBERCULOUS ARTHRITIS AND CHONDROCALCINOS IS - A REPORT OF 2 CASES

Two cases of tuberculous arthritis in a joint affected with chondrocal cinosis are reported. No similar cases have been published. Diagnosis was established by demonstration of the tubercle bacillus and calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joint fluid. Both patients were elderly French females. One patient with involvement of a knee required amputa tion. The other patient had involvement of a shoulder and developed in ferior dislocation of the humeral head and drooping shoulder despite a ntituberculous therapy. Concomitant occurrence of the two conditions w as apparently coincidental but may have adversely affected prognosis. Despite its rarity, tuberculous arthritis should be looked for in pati ents with arthritis and chondrocalcinosis to allow early specific ther apy.