Tuberculous appendicitis

Multi-Detector CT Findings of Primary Tubercular Appendicitis: A Case Report

“…The autopsy findings for tuberculosis patients also reveal appendicular involvement in about 30% of tuberculosis cases (4,8). A few authors have reported that as much as 46 to 70% of intestinal tubercolosis cases involve the appendix (9).…”

“…Acute appendicitis arises from an appendicolith or from the obstruction of the appendix orifice. Other inflammatory diseases that could be involved with the appendix include Crohn's disease and tuberculosis (3,4,6,7). The secondary involvement of the appendix from intestinal tuberculosis is demonstrated by a barium study in the literature (6).…”

“…Further, the various ways by which the appendix can be involved are: hematogenous, by infected intestinal contents; and, by extension of the disease from neighboring ileocecal or genital tuberculosis (4,8). A few authors consider the hematogenous route to be the common mode of spread, whereas others feel that the secondary involvement of the appendix is more common (10).…”

“…However, despite the ileocecal junction being the most common site of involvement in intestinal tuberculosis, the relative infrequency of involvement of the appendix in cases of intestinal or ileocecal tuberculosis has been explained by the minimal contact of the luminal mucosa of the appendix with the intestinal contents (9,10). Primary tuberculosis of the appendix has no detectable focus of infection anywhere else in the body, and is extremely rare (4,8). The diagnosis of primary tubercular appendicitis can be made if there is an absence of any evidence of tuberculosis after a thorough examination or at laparotomy (for clinical purposes) (4,10).…”

“…Primary tuberculosis of the appendix has no detectable focus of infection anywhere else in the body, and is extremely rare (4,8). The diagnosis of primary tubercular appendicitis can be made if there is an absence of any evidence of tuberculosis after a thorough examination or at laparotomy (for clinical purposes) (4,10). The mode of infection in these cases is considered to be ingestion of contaminated foods (4).…”