Abstract
Background: Despite a re-increase in the incidence of tuberculosis, extranodal location on head and neck remains rare. Clinical symptomatology is non-specific and even data from paraclinical explorations often pose the problem of differential diagnosis with tumor pathology. Methods: We report a series of 29 cases of extranodal tuberculosis collected over a period of 32 years [1986-2018] in ENT department of the military hospital of Tunis. Results: Rhinosinusopharyngeal involvement was predominant (45%) followed by glandular involvement (14%). Diagnosis was histopathological in most cases. Concomitant pulmonary tuberculosis was detected in two cases and spinal lumbar in one case. Treatment was medical in all cases. Conclusion: Clinical presentation of extranodal tuberculosis is various and non-specific. Neoplastic pathology is the main differential diagnosis. However, diagnosis should be systematically raised in endemic countries. Treatment is essentially medical.
Highlights
Tuberculosis is a chronic specific infectious disease caused by mycobacteria: Koch bacillus (BK)
Clinical symptomatology is non-specific and even data from paraclinical explorations often pose the problem of differential diagnosis with tumor pathology
We report a series of 29 cases of extranodal tuberculosis collected over a period of 32 years [1986-2018] in ENT department of the military hospital of Tunis
Summary
Tuberculosis is a chronic specific infectious disease caused by mycobacteria: Koch bacillus (BK). Nonspecific and polymorphic clinical presentation is often responsible for diagnostic difficulties that may conflict with tumour pathology or other chronic non-infective and infective pathological conditions. Despite a re-increase in the incidence of tuberculosis, extranodal location on head and neck remains rare. Clinical symptomatology is non-specific and even data from paraclinical explorations often pose the problem of differential diagnosis with tumor pathology. Methods: We report a series of 29 cases of extranodal tuberculosis collected over a period of 32 years [1986-2018] in ENT department of the military hospital of Tunis. Conclusion: Clinical presentation of extranodal tuberculosis is various and non-specific.
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