ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Histopathological confirmation in abdominal tuberculosis is difficult due to suboptimal noninvasive access to the involved area. Peritoneoscopy and colonoscopy provide semi-invasive access to the peritoneum, large intestine and ileocecal area. Information on the diagnostic yield of these two investigation in abdominal tuberculosis is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of laparoscopy and colonoscopy in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 1998 and July 2001, 34 patients were diagnosed to have abdominal tuberculosis on the basis of laparoscopy or colonoscopy. The case records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed to assess the usefulness of laparoscopy and colonoscopy in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. RESULTS: Laparoscopy was performed in 23 patients. Peritoneal tuberculosis was diagnosed in 19 of them, characterized by presence of ascites, multiple whitish tubercles, fibrous bands and adhesions, hyperaemic edematous bowel loops or dense adhesions without ascites. Multiple jejunoileal hyperemic short segments with serosal neovascularization was noticed in three patients. One patient had cecal mass with pericecal inflammatory adhesions. In three patients, laparoscopy was converted to open laparotomy due to bowel injury, extensive adhesions, and difficulty in assessing lymph nodal mass in one patient each. Peritoneal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in 10 of the 15 (67%) patients. In one patient pericecal tissue biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The remaining patients received therapeutic trial with anti tuberculosis treatment. All patients showed good response. Thus laparoscopy provided positive diagnosis of tuberculosis in 20/23 (87%) and positive histology in 10 of the 15 (67%) patients with peritoneal lesions. Thirteen patients underwent colonoscopy. Mucosal lesions involving terminal ileum, cecum and colon was noted in 11 patients. Colonoscopic biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in six of the 11 patients (54%). Non of these patients had any complication related to colonoscopy. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopy was safe and helped in the diagnosis of peritoneal as well as intestinal tuberculosis in 87% of patients. Colonoscopy is useful for colonic and terminal ileal lesion with a positive diagnostic yield of 54%.