The authors describe the case of a patient with undiagnosed tuberculous arthritis of the left knee joint. Because of the poor effect of treatment with nonsteroidal antirheumatic drugs and intraarticular corticosteroids a total endoprosthesis was implanted, while no detailed investigation of the arthritis process was performed. As a result of the progressing specific infection a failure of the implant resulted and the endoprosthesis had to be removed. The case-report contains brief data on the epidemiology, clinical picture and diagnostic methods used for assessment of osteoarticular tuberculosis.

        Key words: osteoarticular tuberculosis, epidemiology, clinical picture, diagnostic methods