Primary gastric tuberculosis--report of 5 cases.
BACKGROUND
Gastric tuberculosis is rare, and usually associated with pulmonary tuberculosis or an immunodeficient state. Here, we report five cases of gastric tuberculosis in immunocompetent patients without evidence of pulmonary involvement.


METHODS
Three patients presented with gastric outlet obstruction that required surgery to relieve the obstruction as well as to confirm the diagnosis. The remaining two had involvement of gastroesophageal junction. All of them responded well to standard antitubercular treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Though gastric tuberculosis is rare, it should be considered a possibility when patients present with gastric outlet obstruction or with endoscopic evidence of diffuse chronic inflammatory activity, particularly in areas endemic for tuberculosis.
Amarapurkar
Deepak N
DN
Department of Gastroenterology, Bombay Hospital and Medical Research Centre, India. deepakn@bom3.vsnl.net.in
Patel
Nikhil D
ND
Amarapurkar
Anjali D
AD
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017219:Gastric Outlet Obstruction / Q000150:complications; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013272:Stomach Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis