Port-site tuberculosis after laparoscopy: report of eight cases.
In light of the explosive increase in laparoscopic surgery, there is concern about the effectiveness of sterilizing reusable laparoscopic instruments by immersion in 2% glutaraldehyde. This article describes the clinical features of eight patients who presented with biopsy-proven tuberculosis at the port-site unassociated with other clinical features of tuberculosis. Three of the eight patients had positive cultures for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The port-site sinuses healed with antituberculous chemotherapy. There is conflicting information in the literature regarding the effectiveness of a 20-min instrument soak in 2% glutaraldehyde to clear M. tuberculosis. In light of the preceding information, the current practice of glutaraldehyde disinfection for reusable laparoscopes needs to be reexamined.
Ramesh
H
H
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, PVS Memorial Hospital, 31/543, Subhash Nagar, Edappally, Cochin 682024, Kerala, India. hramesh@vsnl.com
Prakash
K
K
Lekha
V
V
Jacob
G
G
Venugopal
A
A
Venugopal
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*