Myocysticercosis as a rare cause of hand swelling involving thenar group of muscles: A case report

Abstract

Larval form of Taenia solium causes cysticercosis that commonly involves the central nervous system. Other sites of manifestation are eye, gastrointestinal system, skeletal muscles and subcutaneous tissues. Isolated muscular involvement is rare with only a handful of cases reported in the literature. We present this case of an isolated symtomatic hand swelling due to Myocysticercosis which pose diagnostic dilemma. This should be considered in differential diagnosis in our developing nation and especially in endemic region. High resolution ultrasound of the hand (thenar region) helped in the diagnosis and is often diagnostic like in our case. The treatment of choice of an isolated symptomatic lesion without involvement of central nervous system is surgical excision which we did followed by short course of antiheminthic and anti-inflammatory medication for two weeks.