The association of intra- and extra-thoracic tuberculosis

Abstract

The association of intra- and extra-thoracic tuberculosis lesions has long been common knowledge, but unfortunatcly at times is neglected. Tuberculous laryngitis and enteritis, frequently included in discussions of pulmonary tuberculosis, occur with about the same frequency as skeletal lesions. With increasing specialization in medicine and surgery, there is a tendency to neglect the generalness of tuberculosis and consider it as a discase of a particular structure, disregarding the rest of the patient. There is no definite relationship between the multiplicity of extra-thoracic foci and the extent of pulmonary pathology. Every patient showing orthopedic or genito-urinary tuberculosis should have the benefit of chest X-rays because 60 per cent of our bone and joint cases and 48 per cent of our renal cases show pulmonary pathology. Similary every patient with bone and joint tuberculosis should have carcful genito-urinary examination, for 10 per cent of our group were found to have renal involvement.