Tuberculosis of the Elbow Joint in an Indian Boy: A Rare Entity With a Diagnostic Challenge

TL;DR

This paper presents a rare case of elbow joint tuberculosis in a young Indian boy, highlighting the difficulty in diagnosing such a rare condition.

Contribution

The novelty lies in reporting an extremely rare case of isolated elbow joint tuberculosis in a pediatric patient.

Findings

Tuberculosis of the elbow joint is exceedingly rare, even in endemic regions.

Diagnosis in children can be challenging due to vague symptoms and rarity of the condition.

Combination of clinical examination and radiometric assessment confirmed the diagnosis.

Abstract

Tuberculosis of the bones and joints is an infrequently reported entity. Isolated involvement of the elbow joint is exceedingly rare, even in endemic countries. The diagnosis is an arduous task, especially if it presents in younger age groups. Herein, a case of tuberculosis of the right elbow joint in a seven-year-old Indian child is presented. The diagnosis was challenging due to the vague clinical features and rarity of the disease, but he was diagnosed after a detailed clinical examination along with a radiometric assessment. He was initiated on the appropriate chemotherapy.

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