title: Contemporary management of cervical tuberculosis.
abstract: Although excisional biopsy has traditionally been required to diagnose cervical tuberculosis (TB), fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has also been found to be useful. The presentation and management of 47 patients diagnosed with cervical TB between 1984 and 1988 were retrospectively reviewed. Chest x-rays were normal in 58% of the patients, and purified protein derivative (PPD) skin testing was positive in 96%. When FNAB was used, TB could be suspected in 83% of cases and definitively established in 62%. Open biopsy correctly diagnosed cervical TB in all masses excised. Medical therapy alone resulted in resolution of disease in 94% of patients diagnosed by FNAB, and subsequent excisional biopsy was necessary in only one patient. The results suggest that FNAB is a useful initial procedure in the diagnosis of cervical TB. Excisional biopsy should be reserved for cases where no diagnosis by FNAB can be made, or for persistent cervical disease despite full-course antituberculous chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, San Francisco General Hospital, University of California 94110.
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Tami
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Lalwani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schecter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009333:Neck; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011718:Pyrazinamide; D004977:Ethambutol; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin; D013307:Streptomycin