Value of tissue biopsy in bone and joint tuberculosis.

This study discusses the difficulties in making the diagnosis of bone and joint tuberculosis and underlines the diagnostic value of tissue biopsy from the site of the suspected tuberculosis lesion. Fifty-two patients, suffering from this disease, underwent treatment at our hospital between 1980-1986. In 27 cases (51%) the diagnosis was made on the basis of the clinical picture and various tests not including biopsy.

Variations of palmaris longus.

Although variations of palmaris longus muscle are described in anatomical text books, they are seen rather rarely in practice. Within the last five years of hand surgery we came across threee different cases of such variations described in the above text. We believe that every surgeon must be aware of them, since this, otherwise unimportant muscle, provides a very useful graft in tendon surgery.