Persistent infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a patient with Behcet's disease after rotator cuff repair surgery: A case report

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) infection is a common health problem in low socioeconomic populations in developing countries. Osteoarticular TB is a disease that rarely occurs outside the vertebral column and is often diagnosed late or misdiagnosed, particularly in non-weight bearing joints. A 51-year-old female patient with Behcet's disease presented with shoulder TB following rotator cuff repair surgery, leading to joint resection as a result of recurrent infections with no reproduction in culture samples due to delayed diagnosis. Surgical excision was proposed for the treatment of draining a mass with a sinus tract opening into the joint on the anterior aspect of the right shoulder. A diagnosis was able to be reached after 13 operations, based on the presence of TB bacilli in the pathological examination of the samples. In conclusion, TB should be considered in the absence of reproduction in culture samples taken during persistent post-surgical infections.