Primary Tuberculotic Osteomyelitis of Rib in a Child

• Main Authors: Nitin Kumar Kashyap, Atul Jindal, Nitin Kumar Borkar, Minal Wasnik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2017-07-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
• Subjects: chest wall; mycobacterium; small bone
• Online Access: https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/10222/25974_CE(RA1)_F(T)_PF1(PGGH)_PFA(P_PG).pdf

Although extremely rare, osteomyelitis has been reported in smaller bones like ribs. A 13-year-old male child presented with a one week history of chest wall swelling. Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) of the lesion and initial bacterial culture could not find the aetiology of the lesion. He underwent surgical resection of entire sixth rib for osteomyelitis and was subsequently diagnosed to have tubercular osteomyelitis. Diagnosis and treatment of rib tuberculosis is both difficult and controversial. Rib tuberculosis is often not successfully treated by medical management alone and consequently needs surgery.