Bilateral tuberculosis psoas abscess in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, there is an increase in the frequency of reports of psoas abscesses due to advances in imaging technology, which has led to early diagnosis and treatment. A bilateral psoas abscess is rare and, when it occurs, is usually secondary and in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a bilateral tuberculosis psoas abscess in a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient. CASE PRESENTATION: A 21-year-old Ugandan female undergraduate who contracted human immunodeficiency virus through vertical transmission and has been on highly active antiretroviral drugs presented with bilateral lower abdominal pain with associated fever and headache. Clinical examination revealed abdominal tenderness in both iliac fossae with palpable masses. Ultrasonography revealed fluid collection in both psoas muscles confirming bilateral abscesses. The aspirate was acid-fast bacilli positive. A diagnosis of bilateral tuberculosis psoas abscess was made. Open drainage was performed and antituberculosis drugs were commenced. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral tuberculosis psoas abscesses occurring in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients, although uncommon, is not unexpected. It is a form of secondary psoas abscess in immunocompromised patients. Here, the outcome was successful with a combination of early surgical drainage and appropriate medical therapy.

Bilateral simultaneous fracture of the carpal scaphoid successfully treated with conservative cast immobilisation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: The scaphoid is the most prominent of the carpal bones in the first row and the most frequently fractured of all the carpal bones. Bilateral simultaneous scaphoid fractures are uncommon. OBJECTIVE: To report bilateral simultaneous fractures of the carpal scaphoid bones and their successful treatment with bilateral thumb spica casts METHODS: A 28-year-old medical practitioner presented with a day history of painful swollen wrists following a fall on both outstretched hands. He was fully examined and had both wrists X-rayed. He was subsequently treated with bilateral below elbow thumb spica POP cast. RESULTS: He had previously been healthy until this fall. Physical examination showed a healthy looking young man in pain. There were swelling and tenderness over both anatomical snuff boxes with associated limitation of movements at the wrists. X-rays revealed an undisplaced scaphoid wrist fracture and proximal pole fracture on the right and left respectively. He was successfully treated with bilateral below elbow thumb spica POP cast applied over a period of eight weeks. CONCLUSION: Although recent opinions tend to favour internal fixation for bilateral simultaneous fractures of the scaphoid bones to avoid prolonged cast immobilization and loss of man hours at work, they can be successfully treated with conservative cast immobilisation with comparatively early return to full activity.