Tuberculous pseudoaneurysm of the femoral artery complicated by cutaneous tuberculosis of the foot: a case report.

Abstract

An infected pseudoaneurysm of the right common femoral artery in a 69-year-old patient receiving methotrexate therapy was confirmed to have been caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. After surgical excision of the aneurysm and revascularization using femoral vein, cutaneous manifestations of M tuberculosis infection in the foot complicated the course. We hypothesized that methotrexate may have triggered the reactivation of dormant tuberculosis in this patient. Because extrapulmonary tuberculous pseudoaneurysms are clinically similar to other types of infected pseudoaneurysm, M tuberculosis infection should always be suspected during the initial diagnosis. We propose that mycobacterial cultures should be routine when initial cultures and Gram stain are negative.