[Breast tuberculosis: study of 15 cases]

ABSTRACT

Mammary tuberculosis is a rare disease especially seen in underdeveloped countries. Describe the epidemiological, clinical parameters of mastitis tuberculosis and determinate the interest of imagery and histology in diagnosis. Fifteen cases of tuberculous mastitis diagnosed at the Infectious Diseases and Gynaecology departments of F. Bourguiba hospital during the period from January 1988 to March 2006. The mean age of our patients was 29.2 years [21 - 56 years]. History of tuberculosis was found in 33.3% of the cases. Sixty percent presented with fever and 73.4% complained of skin abscess. We noted symptoms of tuberculosis impregnation in 53.3% of cases. The fine needle aspiration achieved for all patients was negative in 14 cases and brought back the caesium in the other. The diagnosis has been made, for all our patients, after histological study when we found typical tuberculosis lesions on pieces of tumorectomy or biopsy. All patients had an anti-tuberculosis medical treatment. The median duration of treatment was 10 months [9 -18 months]. Although tuberculosis of breast is extremely rare, it should be kept in mind particularly in undeveloped countries. In front of symptoms evoking tuberculosis, biopsies must be done to eliminate an eventual cancer