The Tuberculous Synovitis of the Elbow: A Misunderstood Entity

We present the case of a 7-year-old child with a history of tuberculosis exposure, admitted to the pediatric surgery department due to a chronic swelling of the right elbow persisting for 3 years. Despite being afebrile, the patient experienced unspecified weight loss. Clinical examination revealed a painful fluctuating swelling of the right elbow, limited flexion, and a 12-degree valgus deformity of the ulna. Laboratory tests showed an elevated CRP level indicative of an inflammatory process. Standard radiographs exhibited soft tissue hypertrophy without bone lesions. MRI demonstrated synovial hypertrophy of the right elbow joint with adjacent bone marrow infiltration and deformation of the distal humerus. Biopsy revealed nonspecific chronic synovitis. Surgical removal of the synovial mass was performed, and histopathological examination revealed features suggestive of tuberculosis. Extension studies for tuberculosis were negative. The patient was treated with antituberculous therapy and physiotherapy, leading to the regression of symptoms. This case highlights the diagnostic utility of MRI in detecting synovial hypertrophy and bone marrow infiltration in cases of chronic elbow swelling, especially in the context of tuberculosis exposure.