The great pretender: Multi-system tuberculosis and pathological fracture masquerading as a severe acute football groin injury ‒ Case study with a 5-year follow-up

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/2078-516X/2023/v35i1a13980

Abstract

In this clinical case, a man presented with a groin injury on his dominant side, which he apparently sustained in football (soccer) practice on the previous day. The man was unable to walk unassisted and had to be transported in a wheelchair. The consulting practitioner grew suspicious upon finding minimal clinical evidence and nothing notable on the X-ray to suggest a severe acute injury. A subsequent detailed workup revealed extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) of the musculoskeletal (MSK) and genitourinary tract (GUT) systems, complicated by a pathological fracture of the acetabulum, as the cause of the groin injury. Management of the EPTB resolved the condition with no relapse nor long-term sequelae beyond five years, despite being immunocompromised. We present the clinical case and a five year follow-up. The case serves as a reminder of the possibility that other conditions may mimic sports injuries and further illustrates a rare presentation of such a condition.

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Author Biography

  • Demitri Constantinou, University of Witwatersrand

    Centre for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine (CESSM), School of Therapeutic Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa;

    International Federation of Sports Medicine Collaborating Centre of Sports Medicine, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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Published

2023-06-02

Issue

Section

Case Study

How to Cite

Lichaba, M., & Constantinou, D. (2023). The great pretender: Multi-system tuberculosis and pathological fracture masquerading as a severe acute football groin injury ‒ Case study with a 5-year follow-up. South African Journal of Sports Medicine, 35(1). https://doi.org/10.17159/2078-516X/2023/v35i1a13980
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