[Tuberculosis within the laryngologic organs].
Tuberculosis, considering entry of infection, most frequent concerns the lungs. Rarely we observed extrapulmonary cases of tuberculosis within the bones, joints, urogenital organs and lymph nodes as well as within the head and neck region--larynx, nose and paranasal sinuses, middle ear, pharynx, tonsils, tongue, parotid glands and central nervous system. The diagnosis of head and neck tuberculosis is based on patient's examination as well as on the bacteriologic and histologic study of the biopsy specimen.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to show our own, very rare cases of head and neck tuberculosis.


METHODS
We showed our own experience in the diagnosis and treatment of patients suffer from head and neck tuberculosis. 7 cases of head and neck tuberculosis (4 laryngeal, 2 sinonasal and 1 middle ear) were treated from 1986 to 2004 in the II ENT Department Silesian Medical University in Zabrze. In all the cases the diagnosis was based on the histological examination of the tissue specimen. All of the patients were suspected of the neoplastic disease. We assessed good long-term results after the conservative treatment (sometimes completed by surgery).


CONCLUSIONS
Tuberculosis of the head and neck region should be taken into consideration during the differential diagnosis of neoplastic diseases.
Polok
Aleksandra
A
Katedra i Oddzial Kliniczny Laryngologii Slaskiej AM, Zabrzu. aleklary@poczta.onet.pl
Namysłowski
Grzegorz
G
Scierski
Wojciech
W
Czecior
Eugeniusz
E
Mrówka-Kata
Katarzyna
K
Gac
Bogusław
B
D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014387:Tuberculosis, Laryngeal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy