Tuberculous Osteomyelitis of the Wrist Presenting As a Monoarthritis Syndrome

Osteoarticular tuberculosis is the third most frequent location of tuberculosis after the lung and lymph nodes, accounting for approximately 10%-20% of all cases of extrapulmonary disease. Tuberculosis of the hand and wrist is the rarest osteoarticular location after the shoulder. The authors report the case of a 50-year-old woman without medical history who was diagnosed with isolated tuberculosis of the wrist presenting as monarthritis. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological and microbiological examination. Late stages of osteomyelitis are even rarer without any predisposing factors such as immunosuppression. This case underlines the importance of including tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of monoarthritic syndromes to prevent delayed initiation of therapy and consequent complications and bone damage.