Tuberculous Enteritis Presenting as Small-Bowel Obstruction

Abstract

A 65-year-old Sri Lankan man presented with severe diffuse abdominal pain and distention. Associated symptoms included hiccups, nausea, and vomiting for 24 hours. There was no reported hematemesis, melena, hematochezia, or diarrhea. He reported normal daily bowel movements up to the day of admission. There was no prior history of abdominal surgery or hernias. Chest radiographs were normal. Abdominal radiographs showed dilated loops of small bowel with air fluid levels that were confirmed on computed axial tomography scan (Figure A), which in addition also showed thickening and enhancement of the distal small-bowel wall (Figure 1).