Loose bodies in right elbow joint: Post traumatic? or post infective?

• Main Authors: Hemlata Panwar, V Senthil Kumar, Vivek Trikha, Arulselvi Subramanian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: Journal of Emergencies, Trauma and Shock
• Subjects: Fibrinous loose bodies; intercondylar fracture; tubercular arthritis
• Online Access: http://www.onlinejets.org/article.asp?issn=0974-2700;year=2013;volume=6;issue=2;spage=129;epage=131;aulast=Panwar

Tuberculous osteomyelitis after open fracture is uncommon. Early diagnosis of tubercular arthritis is difficult because of insidious onset, indolent process and mild or non specific local or systemic symptoms. This case report describes the fibrinous loose bodies in elbow joint of a patient who sustained a compound fracture presented with chronic non healing discharging sinus. Intra-operatively some suspected seed like bodies were removed and sent for histopathological examination which showed circumscribed homogenous fibrinous bodies with focal area of hyalinization and few embedded tiny osteolytic fragments. Acid Fast Bacilli staining was positive. The patient had a good recovery after treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs.