Diagnosis and management of isolated pancreatic tuberculosis: experience of 13 cases.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic tuberculosis.


METHODS
Retrospectively reviewed and summarized 13 pancreatic tuberculosis patients' clinical information, presentation, diagnostic methods, therapeutic approaches, and prognosis from 1958 to 2004 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital.


RESULTS
All cases presented a wide series of symptoms, including fever in 6 cases, upper abdominal tenderness in 13, epigastric mass in 4, obstructive jaundice in 3, night sweat in 4, weight loss in 7, hypersplenotrophy and hypersplenism in 1, and being complicated with tuberculosis of other organs in 3. One case was diagnosed by clinical symptoms and biopsy of lymph node, and only received anti-tubercular treatment Others were diagnosed by intra-operative biopsy and anti-tubercular treatment, and got well without recurrent tuberculosis in pancreas and other organs during 6 months to 2 years of follow-up. The non-operative case presented extrahepatic portal hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
Pancreatic tuberculosis may be considered in the patients with fever, abdominal tenderness, weight loss, and imaging evidence of regional pancreatic lesion. Efficacy of anti-tubercular agents and laparotomy for pancreatic tuberculosis is evident.
Yan
Chang-qing
CQ
Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730.
Guo
Jun-chao
JC
Zhao
Yu-pei
YP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*