Background:
Approximately 10% of extra-pulmonary cases of tuberculosis (TB) are
skeletal in origin (1). An unusual form of skeletal TB
is tuberculosis of the foot and ankle; delays in diagnosis and treatment
are caused by the rare site, ignorance of the condition, and capacity to
mimic other conditions clinically and on radiographs; the symptoms of
skeletal TB may present slowly over an extended period of time, making a
diagnosis difficult and time-consuming (2). The
absence of concurrent pulmonary disease can further muddle the diagnosis(1). For the best possible outcome and to reduce the
risk of deformity, bone and joint disorders must be diagnosed early(2,3). The use of modern imaging modalities has
improved the diagnosis of patients with musculoskeletal TB and the
ability to perform targeted biopsies on the affected regions(4,5). To establish a firm diagnosis suitable
specimens for culture and other diagnostic procedures must be obtained(3). For the treatment of drug-susceptible
musculoskeletal illness, a rifampin-based regimen lasting 6 to 9 months
is advised (1).