Surgical management and post-operative complications in abdominal tuberculosis patients

Abstract

Background: Abdominal tuberculosis is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in resource limited countries. The vague clinical presentation is a barrier to early diagnosis. Aim of the study was to highlight the role of operative procedures and post-operative complications in patients suffering from abdominal tuberculosis.

Methods: This is a descriptive study of abdominal tuberculosis cases, which were operated in the Department of Surgery, Lal Lajpath Rai hospital Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, and associated hospitals. Informed and written consent was obtained from each patient prior to commencement of the study. Detailed data of each patient was entered on a Microsoft excel. Data were presented in number and percentages.

Results: Most of the patient’s lumps were present in right ileac fosa, 70.37% followed by lymph node mass. Rolled omentum and appendicular showed minimum percentage of cases. In operative finding on exploratory laparotomy, the most common site of involvement was ileocaecal, and less commonly involved site in abdomen tuberculosis are duodenum and appendix. Surgical procedures, intestinal resection in the form of right hemicolectomy (21 cases), small bowel resection (58 cases). Appendicectomies were done only in 3 cases. Post-operative complications were found in 64 cases. Most of the complication developed in patients those were operated in emergency.

Conclusions: Most of the surgeons were preferred conservative surgery rather than extensive resection of the active lesion. Commonest post-operative complication was broncho pulmonary complication.