Tuberculosis of the Puboischium: Report of Five Cases

Tuberculosis of the puboischium is an uncommon entity. The two constant features in tubereulosis of the pubis are limping and abscess formation. This disesse should be differentiated from other diseases such as osteitis pubis, suppurative osteomyelitis, postpartum synphysiolysis, and adolescent osteochondritis. Kirker advocated that wide excision of the lesion for the treatment of this disease is the best method. However, Nicholson(1953) reported that the lesion has a good prognosis snd responds well to simple curettage. Since the first reports by Thilesen(1855) and by Heinnies(1888), there were paucity of reports. Also in Korea, there have been no report about this disease. The five patients who were treated at the Ksng-Nsm St. Marys Hospitsl between 1982 and 1987 were reported. The results were as follows ; 1. Four patients were boys and one was a female. 2. All cases had clinically abscess, tenderness at the lesion, and limp. 3. Lesions in four cases responded well to simple curettage and18 months of chemotherapy. However, in one case fusion of the symphysis using a plate was performed because of tuberculosis-induced instability of the sacroiliac joint. 4. In a child, destroyed symphysis pubis was well restituted after treatment. Through the cases it is concluded that simple curettage and anti-tuberculous chemotherapy are good treatment modality for tuberculosis of the puboischium.