title: [Ascites. Tuberculous peritonitis].
abstract: Because of deteriorating general health, weight loss of 5 kg and leftsided epigastric pain a 44 year old innkeeper was evaluated unsuccessfully for 1 month. Thereafter a protein- and lymphocyte-rich ascites developed. CT-scans revealed a thickened visceral peritoneum and multiple, marginally increased retroperitoneal lymph nodes. The history of the patient originating from former Jugoslavia was suspicious for inadequately treated tuberculous pericarditis. Hence this diagnosis tuberculous peritonitis became probable but for practical reasons could not be proven neither by biopsy nor by culture. Under probatory antituberculous treatment the patient's general condition improved rapidly, the ascites disappeared and initially elevated parameters for infection normalized.
authors.affiliation: Departement für Innere Medizin, Universitätsspital Zürich.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Osterwalder
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Widmer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schulthess
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010492:Pericardiectomy; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013908:Thoracotomy