Diagnostic delay in ankle and foot tuberculosis resulting in tuberculoma and tuberculous meningitis in a middle-aged female: A case report

SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2024 Aug 19:12:2050313X241274223. doi: 10.1177/2050313X241274223. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

A middle-aged woman presents with chronic foot arthritis which progressed to a non-healing ulcer, which was unresponsive to conventional antibiotics and debridement. She then developed cerebral manifestations and was empirically treated with antitubercular medications which led to healing of the ulcer. Unfortunately, delays in initiating treatment resulted in development of other extrapulmonary tuberculosis complications such as cerebral tuberculoma with tuberculous meningitis. She was subsequently diagnosed with neurocysticercosis which continued to worsen during her hospital stay. She eventually succumbed to her illness due to the complications and a possible nosocomial infection. This case highlights the challenges with diagnosis of uncommon presentations of common diseases in an endemic area, leading to diagnostic delays and development of serious complications.

Keywords: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis; ankle and foot tuberculosis; tuberculoma; tuberculous meningitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports