# Unveiling Neglected Pin-Site Tuberculosis: An Uncommon Encounter Due to Surgical Distal-End Radius Fracture Management With K-Wires

## TL;DR

A man developed a rare case of pin-site tuberculosis after a wrist fracture surgery, which was successfully treated with surgery and anti-tuberculous therapy.

## Contribution

Highlights a rare complication of K-wire fixation in fracture management and emphasizes the importance of follow-up care.

## Key findings

- Neglected postoperative care led to pin-site tuberculosis.
- Debridement and anti-tuberculous treatment successfully resolved the infection.
- The patient regained full wrist mobility after treatment.

## Abstract

In this case report, a 29-year-old man underwent surgery to treat a fracture to the left distal end of his radius using closed reduction and K-wire fixation. The patient was advised to follow up in the outpatient department after six weeks for cast and K-wire removal. Still, the patient failed to do so and was doing alternate day dressing of the K-wires. After six months he slipped and fell from his cot while sleeping, sustaining an injury to the left wrist. Initially, he developed a swelling over the wrist, which suddenly increased in size and ruptured. Thick white caseous material was leaking out from the wounds. The patient underwent debridement and K-wire removal. An intraoperative sample was sent for a bacterial culture sensitivity test, histological analysis, and cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CB-NAAT/GeneXpert). Postoperatively, anti-tuberculous treatment was started. The patient fully recovered from tuberculosis and had a complete range of movements after treatment.