Tuberculous Tenosynovitis of the Elbow: A Case Report

Oh,  Chi Hun; Park,  Jung Ho; Kim,  Jung Wook

doi:2014.17.2.80

Clin Shoulder Elb > Volume 17(2); 2014 > Article

Case Report

Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow 2014;17(2):80-83.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5397/CiSE.2014.17.2.80 Published online June 30, 2014.

Tuberculous Tenosynovitis of the Elbow: A Case Report

Chi Hun Oh, Jung Ho Park, Jung Wook Kim

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan, Korea. canall@korea.ac.kr

Received: 16 August 2013 • Revised: 8 April 2014 • Accepted: 9 April 2014

Abstract

A 29-year-old man visited our clinic owing to a persistent swelling in the anterior part of the left elbow joint that began one year ago. Through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we observed tenosynovitis with multiple rice bodies, and so we performed an excisional biopsy and tenosynovectomy. Through pathology and culture tests, we identified tuberculosis in the tissue biopsy that we harvested intraoperatively. Following the anti-tuberculosis medication relieved the patient's symptoms without recurrence. Since tuberculosis of the elbow occurs only rarely, and the symptoms mimic those of rheumatoid synovitis or of non-specific chronic synovitis, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are often delayed. The authors report this rare case of tuberculous tenosynovitis of the elbow with a review of the relevant literature.

Key Words: Elbow; Tuberculous tenosynovitis; Tenosynovectomy; Anti-tuberculosis medication