[Peritoneal tuberculosis - report of 43 cases]

Peritoneal tuberculosis represents 0, 1 to 4% of all forms of tuberculosis. The aim of our study is to describe clinical, therapeutic characteristics and the outcome of peritoneal tuberculosis. Retrospective study of all cases of peritoneal tuberculosis diagnosed in gastroenterology B department - Rabta Hospital during a 12 years period [1996 to 2007]. Forty three cases of peritoneal tuberculosis were included: 15 male and 28 female with mean age of 38years [extremes: 16 to 85years]. Five patients were cirrhotic. Clinical manifestations were dominated by ascitis [83%]. Ascitic fluid were exsudative in 97% of cases and lymphocytic in all cases. The diagnostic was based on coelioscopy with peritoneal biopsy in 26cases demonstrating caseating granulomatous lesions in 64% of cases. Extra peritoneal tuberculosis was noted in 60, 4% dominated by pleuro-pulmonary localisations. Patients were given antituberculous therapy for a mean duration of 9, 8 months and the outcome was favourable in 93%. Peritoneal tuberculosis is still a medical problem in Tunisia. It is more common in young female. Diagnosis is based on the results of peritoneal biopsies during coelioscopy. The outcome is good in most cases after antituberculous treatment

[Budd-chiari syndrome a rare complication of hepatic echinococcosis; about 3 cases]

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infestation due to the development of echinococcus granulosus in the organism. This disease is particularly frequent in Tunisia where echinococcosis is endemic. Liver is the most common organ to be involved by hydatidosis and several complications have been described. Vascular complications secondary to hepatic echinococcosis such as Budd-Chiari syndrome have rarely been reported. We present herein, three rare cases of hydatid cyst complicated by Budd-Chiari syndrome. The cyst occupied at least two segments of the hepatic dome in all patients and his diameter was 12, 5 cm, 21 cm and 12, 5 cm respectively. According to the Gharbi classification, the cysts were type III in one case and type IV in the two others. The Budd-Chiari syndrome was chronic in one patient and asymptomatic in the two others. His diagnosis was established by abdominal US in two cases, completed by US Doppler and CT angiogram in one patient and by CT angiogram in the other. The diagnosis was established only by CT angiogram in the later case. The Budd-Chiari syndrome was due to compression of two hepatic veins in one case, compression of inferior vena cava in one case and compression of one hepatic vein and inferior vena cava in one case. Laparotomy was performed in all patients. The surgical procedure consisted in resection of the protruding hepatic tissue after puncture aspiration of the cyst in the three cases. The postoperative period was complicated by abscess formation in residual cavity, requiring drainage and by development of ascitis, in one case. Hydatid cyst should be remembered amongst the causes of Budd-Chiari syndrome in countries where the disease is endemic. Conversely, this vascular complication should be looked for routinely in patients with hydatid disease of the liver