Tuberculosis infection of hand

Objectives: Tuberculosis is a very rare infection form, which is characterised by painless swelling, tenosynovitis, limitation of movement, and sometimes compressive neuropathy. Slowly progressive symptoms and delay in treatment leads to late diagnosis. A diagnosis of tuberculosis was made on the basis of characteristic histopathology, a positive culture with/without a positive smear for acid-fast staining. Medical treatment is essential in the treatment of tuberculosis infection. Surgical treatment is due to excessive swelling and synovitis in patients with neuropathy is accompanied with other advanced symptoms. In our study 6 cases tuberculosis infection located in the hand and wrist were treated. Methods: All of the patients treated with medical treatment for 12 months after surgical treatment, which was consisted synovectomy and debridement. Results: Five cases of all patients were no recurrent infection at least 36 months follow-up, in one case after surgery medical treatment is still continuing for 7 months. Conclusion: Tuberculosis must be considered patients who followed with slow-growing swelling, limitation of movement and excessive synovitis. [Hand Microsurg 2012; 1(2.000): 53-59