title: Peripartum disseminated extrapulmonary tuberculosis simulating ovarian carcinoma.
abstract: Disseminated extrapulmonary tuberculosis is an uncommon complication of pregnancy. We present a 26-year-old multiparous immigrant from Haiti who was admitted following an extramural preterm delivery. Marked ascites was confirmed by computerized tomography, which also revealed a thickened greater omentum. These findings were considered suggestive of advanced ovarian carcinoma, although extrapulmonary tuberculosis was also considered despite negative tuberculin skin test screening. Image-guided omental biopsy demonstrated caseating granulomas substantiating the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis, which was later confirmed by cultures. The patient responded well to antituberculosis medications. This case describes the unusual peripartum presentation of abdominal tuberculosis simulating advanced ovarian carcinoma, and demonstrates the importance of considering extrapulmonary tuberculosis when encountering ascites and omental thickening during pregnancy despite negative tuberculin skin test screening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York (SUNY), Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11203-2098, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sherer
authors.forename: Joseph A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Osho
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zinn
authors.forename: Spiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demetus
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Temkin
authors.forename: Ovadia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Abulafia
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000175:diagnosis*; D047928:Premature Birth; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis*