Gastrointestinal tuberculosis

Abstract

Cases of gastro intestinal tuberculosis, 11 in total, seen at the Hospital La Maria, in Medellin, betwen January 1993 and June 1999 are presented. The mean age was 41 years old. The relation female: man was 1.8: 1. Source was urban in 81%. The most important symptoms were: abdominal pain 63%, weight loss 54%, diarrhea 54%, fever 36%, productive cough 36%. On the physical exam were found: abdominal pain 81%, malnutrition 63%, pathological pulmonary auscultation 36%, palpable abdominal mass 18%. Paraclinic finding were: anemia 72 %, accelereted sedimentation 72%, leucocyrosis 18%. Radiology studies were sugestive of sickness but endoscopy studies were definitive for diagnosis. Surgery allowed diagnosis in 54%, pulmonaryTB was found in 36%. The most common localization was at the ileo-cecal region for 63% ofcases.