Tuberculosis Presenting as Isolated Wrist Swelling: A Case Report and Review of Literature

Abstract

Background Tuberculosis is a common disease entity in South East Asian countries with a significant global burden. An extra skeletal manifestation such as monoarticular TB is common, but isolated involvement of the wrist is rare. Case Summary A 53-year-old Sri Lankan male with long-standing diabetes presented with an isolated hand swelling for a 7-month duration. His initial imaging and MRI showed multiple destructive lesions in the carpal bones, surrounding focal fluid collections and found to have caseous material intraoperatively. His histology and microbiological studies were positive for TB with no other concurrent evidence of TB elsewhere. Conclusion Different presentations of tuberculosis should be considered when patients are presenting with atypical clinical and initial basic investigation findings in relation to monoarticular pathologies.

The humble wrist pain could be “early” tuberculosis and a high index of suspicion may help nip it in the bud: A case report

“…Few case reports of tuberculosis wrist joint have been published previously but they were in late stages of arthritis or with discharging sinus, our case is unique in being diagnosed and managed at a very “early” stage. [ 6 7 9 10 ]…”