BACKGROUND: Despite their relative rarity, increased awareness of tuberculous sacro-iliitis is necessary. Indeed, diagnosis is usually delayed, because of the non specific clinical features and the difficulty to explore the sacro-iliac joint. OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of sacro-iliac joint tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 22 cases of tuberculous sacro-iliitis collected between 1987 and 2003 in four university hospital centres. All our patients were explored clinically and radiologically. Microbiology, biochemical and serologic tests were also performed. RESULTS: 13 cases were confirmed bacteriologically or histologically and for the remaining nine cases evidence of tuberculous sacroiliitis was based on clinical, biological, radiological features and outcome on treatment. Inflammatory pain was present in almost all cases, and a collected abscess in 11 cases. Standard radiographs were also in all cases and ultrasound and CT scan showed an abscess in 8 patients. The average duration of treatment was nine months. The outcome was excellent in the majority of cases. CONCLUSION: Sacro-iliac joint is difficult to explore and has recently beneficiated of technical improvement in imaging and diagnostic. Medical treatment of tuberculosis sacro-iliitis is often sufficient.
BACKGROUND: Despite their relative rarity, increased awareness of tuberculous sacro-iliitis is necessary. Indeed, diagnosis is usually delayed, because of the non specific clinical features and the difficulty to explore the sacro-iliac joint. OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of sacro-iliac joint tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 22 cases of tuberculous sacro-iliitis collected between 1987 and 2003 in four university hospital centres. All our patients were explored clinically and radiologically. Microbiology, biochemical and serologic tests were also performed. RESULTS: 13 cases were confirmed bacteriologically or histologically and for the remaining nine cases evidence of tuberculous sacroiliitis was based on clinical, biological, radiological features and outcome on treatment. Inflammatory pain was present in almost all cases, and a collected abscess in 11 cases. Standard radiographs were also in all cases and ultrasound and CT scan showed an abscess in 8 patients. The average duration of treatment was nine months. The outcome was excellent in the majority of cases. CONCLUSION: Sacro-iliac joint is difficult to explore and has recently beneficiated of technical improvement in imaging and diagnostic. Medical treatment of tuberculosis sacro-iliitis is often sufficient.