title: [Abdominal tuberculosis, a diagnostic dilemma: report of a series of cases].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominal tuberculosis is one of the most common non-pulmonary tuberculosis infection sites, and it relates to immunosuppression. The nonspecific features of this form of tuberculosis make an accurate diagnosis difficult. The aim of this study is to report seven (7) patients diagnosed with abdominal tuberculosis requiring surgery at the Clinical Hospital of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive analysis of seven cases of abdominal tuberculosis treated in our center between August 2001 and June 2013 was performed to characterize its clinical presentation and diagnostic elements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four men and three women (29-68 years old) were diagnosed and operated on for abdominal tuberculosis: three had the peritoneal form of tuberculosis, two had a lymph nodal form and two had the intestinal form. In three cases, abdominal tuberculosis was associated with immunosuppression (HIV and rheumatoid arthritis treatment) and six cases presented with wasting syndrome of at least one month duration. Three patients had an acute presentation with signs of intestinal obstruction. Diagnosis was made by surgical biopsy. Of the seven patients, who underwent surgery, three required bowel resection for intestinal obstruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal tuberculosis requires a high index of suspicion for an early diagnosis, especially in populations at risk.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Coloproctología, Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. Address: Marcoleta 350, patio interior. Santiago, Chile. Email: giurrejola@uc.cl.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Castillo Ramos
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Coloproctología, Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Constanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villalón Montenegro
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Coloproctología, Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: María Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Molina Pezoa
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Coloproctología, Departamento de Cirugía Digestiva, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Gonzalo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Urrejola Schmied
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Mycobacterium tuberculosis; gastrointestinal tuberculosis; latent tuberculosis