DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2017.v05i03.012

Pages: 200-202

Tubercular involvement of peripheral joints is not very common. Elbow tuberculosis constitutes about 2-5 % cases of osteoarticular tuberculosis. A fifteen year old male student presented to our outpatient department with chief complaints of pain, swelling and discharging sinus over the (L) elbow since six months. Initially it was suspected as chronic osteomyelitis of distal humerus but open biopsy proved the tubercular involvement of the elbow. After 18 months of antitubercular treatment the lesion healed completely and patient had full range of motion. Because of the low incidence of elbow tuberculosis the diagnosis is usually missed but with a degree of suspicion and clinico-radiological investigations the diagnosis can be made followed by confirmation with biopsy. Antitubercular treatment coupled with general measures to increase immunity can cure the disease in most of the cases.