Incidence of abdominal tuberculosis in 186 cases of acute abdomen presenting in our surgical emergency department

ABSTRACT

Among 186 cases of Acute Abdomen, determining the frequency of abdominal tuberculosis patients with their outcome. A prospective case study from January, 2009 to June 2010. Surgical Unit-V District Headquarters [Teaching] Hospital, Faisalabad. Detailed data of each patient including presentation, operative findings, procedure performed, post operative outcome and histopathology was entered on a specially designed Performa, compiled and analyzed. During the period of study, 186 patients presented in the surgical emergency with complaints of acute abdomen out of which 54 [29.03%] were of abdominal tuberculosis. Mean age of presentation was 27.3 years. Operative findings showed predominance of ileocaecal hypertrophic tuberculosis [tuberculous mass] in 18 [33.33%] patients, followed by tuberculous adhesions, ileal strictures and plastic gut.The surgical procedures were performed according to their intra-abdominal findings out of which right hemicolectomy with ileocolic end to end anastomosis in 18 [33.33%] patients remained the commenest procedure performed followed by segmental ileal resection anastomosis, ileostomy and stricturoplasty. 20 [37.04%] patients reported to have post-operative complications in which wound infection in 7 [12.96%] remained the highest occurring postoperative complication followed by intra-abdominal collection, anastomotic leakage and septicemia. Mortality rate among the patients of abdominal tuberculosis in this study remained 5.56%. Complicated abdominal tuberculosis is the most common pathology of acute abdomen. By proper management of pre-complicated abdominal tuberculosis, this disastrous stage of disease resulting in so morbidity and mortality can be reduced