Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Secondary to Tuberculous Tenosynovitis With Rice Bodies

Abstract

Case: We report the case of a 34-year-old African man who presented with severe symptoms of recurrent left carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and left hand swelling after previous open decompression. Considering the recurrent unilateral affection of the left hand in a patient working in a slaughterhouse in an area with a moderate burden for tuberculosis, tuberculous infection was suspected. Open surgery and biopsy revealed tuberculous tenosynovitis of flexor tendon sheath and shiny white rice bodies. Conclusion:Tuberculous tenosynovitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis of the CTS when there is evidence of proliferative tenosynovitis in patients from an endemic area for tuberculosis.