Study the difference of clinical and laparoscopic features between peritoneal tuberculosis and peritoneal malignancy

ABSTRACT

Background: Peritoneal tuberculosis (PT) and peritoneal malignancy (PM) are the most frequent causes of exsudate ascitic fluid but the different diagnosis between the former and the latter is also difficult and elusive. Objective: To study the difference of clinical and laparoscopic features between PT and PM. Subjects and method: 76 patients with PT and 50 with PM were diagnosed by laparoscopy and peritoneal biopsy. Ascitic mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected by PCR analysis. Exsudate ascites was confirmed according to criteria of Light. Results and Conclusions: Average age of PT was younger than of PM (p < 0.001). The frequency of fever, pleural effusion in the patients with PT was higher than those in PM (p < 0.001 and 0.05). The anemia and abdominal tumefaction in those of PM was more frequent than in those of PT (p < 0.05 and 0.001). High protein ascitic fluid and numerous lymphocytes in the patients with PT was frequent than in those with PM (p < 0.05). Laparoscopic features In those patients with PT the white "miliary nodules" or adhesions between abdominal wall was more frequent than in those with PM (p < 0,05) and in patients with PM omental thickening, tumor formation was more than in those with PT.