Tuberculous peritonitis

ABSTRACT

Tuberculous is [T.B] remains one of the important infections wide especially in the developing countries and still on important cause for morbidity and mortality. to find out the role of diagnostic laparoscopy in the quick and definitive diagnosis of T.B. peritonitis and to differentiate it from a similar presentation of abdominal malignancies.A forty patients with proved tuberculous peritonitis have been reviewed retro and prospectively. Their age range was between 20 - 39 years, 62.5% were females, abdominal distension and pallor were a common clinical findings 92.5% and 90% respectively, and 42.5% of the patients have their complaints for 2-3 months, while history of pulmonary tuberculosis was present in 22.5% of the patients only. In 50% of the patients there were no important findings on chest X ray. Ascitis was positive in 82.5% of patients on abdominal sonography, while on diagnostic laparoscopy in 45% of patients the findings were ascites with peritoneal and bowel adhesions. in conclusion there are patients to be recommended to avoid missing T.B. peritonitis as a curable conclusion and avoid the great delays in the diagnosis