Introduction: A typical presentations of tuberculosis are not uncommon. Periprosthetic infection with tuberculosis after total joint replacement has well published. Tuberculosis of the elbow following open reduction internal fixation of a distal humerus fraeture is extremely rare.
Case report: We report case of a healthy, immunocompetenet 49-year-old male who underwent open reduction and internal fixation with bicolumnar plating for distal humerus fracture and presented after 18 month with cystic swelling over medial aspect of operated site. There was no wound dehiscence and the underlying fracture was healed well without any signs of implant loosening or bony involvement. Cystic swelling was excised and histopathology provided the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Patient was treated with anti tubercular chemotherapy and patient made uneventful recovery.
Conclusion: Although synovial tuberculosis after fracture fixation is a rare entity, tuberculosis should be kept as a differential diagnosis. Surgeons should have high index of suspicion to diagnose atypical presentations of tuberculosis.
Keywords: distal humerusfracture; elbow; open reduction internal fixation; osteoarticular; tuberculosis.