Isolated Tuberculosis of the Radius in an Immunocompetent Indian Male Without Pulmonary Involvement: A Report of a Rare Case

TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of bone tuberculosis in an Indian man with no lung involvement or weakened immune system.

Contribution

The novelty lies in documenting isolated radial tuberculosis in an immunocompetent individual without pulmonary disease.

Findings

Isolated tuberculosis of the radius occurred in an immunocompetent male.

Diagnosis was confirmed using a nucleic acid amplification test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The patient was treated with a 12-month chemotherapy regimen.

Abstract

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis is less commonly reported, and isolated tuberculous involvement of bones such as the radius, without any pulmonary lesions, is extremely rare. Diagnosing this condition can be challenging due to ambiguous clinical features and non-specific radiological findings in the early stages. The present case describes a rare instance of isolated tuberculosis of the radius in an immunocompetent Indian male with no pulmonary involvement. The diagnosis was achieved through a high index of suspicion in an endemic region, advanced radiometric investigations, and the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using the cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test. The patient was started on a 12-month course of appropriate chemotherapy.

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