Ulnar nerve tuberculoma

Abstract

<jats:p>The authors report a very rare case of tuberculoma involving the ulnar nerve. The patient, a 7-year-old girl, presented with swelling over the medial aspect of her right forearm just below the elbow joint, with features of ulnar nerve palsy, including paresthesias along the little and ring fingers and claw hand deformity. There was a history of trauma and contact with a contagious case of tuberculosis. There were no other signs of tuberculosis. At surgical exploration the ulnar nerve was found to be thickened, and on opening the sheath there was evidence of caseous material enclosed in a fibrous capsule compressing and displacing the nerve fibers. The lesion, along with the capsule, was subtotally removed using curettage, and a part of the capsule that was densely adherent to the nerve fibers was left in the patient. Histopathological examination of the specimen was consistent with tuberculoma. The patient received adequate antitubercular treatment and showed significant improvement.</jats:p>