title: Abdominal tuberculosis.
abstract: In Britain abdominal tuberculosis is an uncommon condition and most cases come to laparotomy for diagnosis. A high index of suspicion is required in areas with a large immigrant population and in areas which are overcrowded and nutritionally deprived. Nine of 28 patients presented acutely and a wide variety of preoperative diagnoses were entertained. Most of the remainder had a long history of vague constitutional symptoms and laparotomy was required for diagnosis in all but 5. Histology proved the surest way of establishing the diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis*