Abdominal tuberculosis, a varied presentation

ABSTRACT

Abdominal Tuberculosis presents to the general surgeon in one of the three forms I, Intestinal Obstruction 2, Tuberculous peritonitis 3, abdominal mass. In a review of patients presenting with intestinal obstruction [Acute or sub acute], over a 2 years period at Shaikh Zayed hospital, Lahore, 30 cases were found to have intestinal tuberculosis out of a 100 of intestinal obstruction studied. All patients were diagnosed on exploration with histopathological evidence of tuberculosis and or demonstration of A.F.B in the lesion. The mean age was 34.9 years, male to female ration 21; 86% of the patients had primary intestinal tuberculosis whereas 14% are considered to be suffering from secondary intestinal tuberculosis. The majority of the patient [66%] had single on multiple strictures involving the terminal ileum and ileocecal region, 20% of the patients were found to have mass in the ileocecal region and perforation was seen in 14% of the cases. Primary resection of the tuberculous lesion was carried out in 28 patients. Hospital mortality was zero and major post op. complications were noted in 8%. All patients received standard anti-tuberculosis treatment for a period of 12 months. The follow up record is available on 26 patents. All 26 patients have so far completed the anti-tuberculosis medication without any ill effects. No patient has so far presented with a recurrent problem of obstruction