Primary Hepatic Tuberculoma Associated with Intrahepatic Duct Stones and Abscess

ABSTRACT

Tuberculosis is a systemic disease that can occur anywhere in body. Its incidence is various according to the organ or location, and TB in an organ where the general incidence is rare causes so many unexpected symptoms and complications that physicians can sometimes be baffled when attempting to make a diagnosis. If this rare occurrence of TB in an unusual location results in non-specific symptoms, then it is important not to overlook the possibility of tuberculosis. Hepatic tuberculosis is mainly a secondary type of disease that has disseminated from the lungs or other organs. Because a primary TB focus in the liver is rare, in the case in which the lung or other organs have no tuberculosis, it is extremely difficult to arrive at the proper diagnosis of primary hepatic tuberculosis. The authers experienced a case of primary tuberculous granuloma that was associated with intrahepatic duct stones and abscess. This patient was first diagnosed as suffering with intrahepatic duct stones and abscess only. We discovered the associated tuberculous granuloma of the liver by histologic examination after hepatectomy. We report on this case with a review of the relevant literature.