Abdominopelvic tuberculosis in gynaecology: laparoscopical and new laboratory findings.
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis (TB) is a rare curable infective disease, caused mainly by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which in abdominopelvic (AP) localisation, can mimic a disseminated carcinomatosis. Symptoms of AP-TB are non-specific, so diagnosis is difficult and elusive as the affected patients have normal chest X-ray and elevated levels of CA125. Female ultrasonographic features of AP-TB mimic peritoneal carcinomatosis, and the computed tomography has also been suggested to be helpful, but the final diagnosis was reached by histology and serology.


OBJECTIVE
To propose the validity of the combination of laparoscopy (LPS), histopathology and enzyme-linked immuno-spot (ELIspot) in the diagnosis of AP-TB.


METHODS
In the last two years, we had six women with suspect of AP-TB, who, after the routine exams, were referred for a diagnostic LPS that revealed turbid-free fluid in pelvis or ascites (collected for serology), multiple peritoneal and/or bowel tubercles (randomly sampled), fibrous bands, adhesions, hyperaemic and oedematous bowel loops.


RESULTS
LPS diagnosis was confirmed by intra-LPS biopsy of nodules and histological examination of specimens: epithelioid granulomas with central caseous necrosis in five patients (83.3%) and a non-caseating granulomatous inflammation in the last one. An outer layer of epithelioid histiocytes and Langhans cells was present in all patients. Using the ELIspot technique performed on free fluids, the final diagnosis of TB was made in all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Even if gynaecological LPS appearance of the peritoneum can mimic other conditions, ELIspot and histopathological exam can confirm the suspect of AP-TB.
Tinelli
Andrea
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vito Fazzi Hospital, Lecce, Italy. andtinelli@libero.it
Malvasi
Antonio
A
Vergara
Daniele
D
Martignago
Roberta
R
Nicolardi
Giuseppe
G
Tinelli
Raffaele
R
Pellegrino
Marcello
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed