Reactivation of a tuberculous coxitis due to loosening of a total hip endoprosthesis.

A 45-year-old woman who suffered from juvenile tuberculous coxitis at the age of 4 is presented. Her hip joint replacement lasted for 18 years and then needed replacing. Intraoperatively removed caseous soft tissue and an opalescent secretion histologically resembled a tuberculous focus, and bacteriological culture grew a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. Four months after the replacement, the patient suffered from a tuberculosis-induced septic loosening of the newly replaced hip joint endoprosthesis. The tuberculosis relapse was probably due to aseptic loosening of the first hip joint endoprosthesis.