ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis has been persisting with mankind since time immemorial, which delineates its ubiquitous nature. However, infections with non-tubercular mycobacteria of musculoskeletal tissue are rare. Though the knee joint is the third most common site of involvement after the spine and hip, atypical mycobacterial infection of the patella in an immunocompetent patient is unheard of. Herein, we present a case of a late adolescent male with diffuse painful swelling of the left knee, which came to be diagnosed as Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria osteomyelitis of the patella left side for its rarity and its successful management by antitubercular chemotherapy without any surgical intervention. High suspicion, early diagnosis and anti-NTM chemotherapy bring satisfactory outcomes.