Tuberculous synovitis with “rice bodies” presenting as carpal tunnel syndrome

A 41-year-old man had typical symptoms and signs of carpal tunnel syndrome. At operation there were multiple large rice bodies along the flexor tendons with a great deal of adherent synovitis involving the index finger. Widespread surgical debridement with excision of involved synovium was done. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from the tenosynovium excised.