title: Primary tubercular osteomyelitis of the sternum.
abstract: Primary tuberculous osteomyelitis of the sternum is a rare clinical entity. Sternal tuberculosis can result from direct extension of the disease from hilar lymph nodes, hematogenous or lymphatic dissemination from other sites, and following BCG vaccination in children. An unusual case of primary tuberculous osteomyelitis of the sternum that presented with a swelling and pain over the manubrium sterni is reported. Diagnosis was confirmed by demonstration of epithelioid granulomas and acid-fast bacilli and a positive M. tuberculosis culture from the aspirate taken from the sternal swelling. Extensive diagnostic work-up did not reveal any other focus of tuberculosis in this case. The patient was successfully managed with anti-tubercular treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kottayam Medical College, Kerala 686008, South India.
authors.forename: Kondanath
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saifudheen
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Anoop
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Mini
authors.forename: Manjula
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Jabbar
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jayaprakash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008371:Manubrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D011859:Radiography; D013249:Sternum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology