Perforation peritonitis in primary intestinal tuberculosis

Primary intestinal tuberculosis is unusual in European and North American countries today. Its diagnosis is often surprising and differentiation from inflammatory bowel diseases is difficult. The authors present a rare case of severe stercoral peritonitis caused by multiple intestinal perforations in a patient with primary ileocecal tuberculosis. Initial clinical and laboratory investigations led to the suspicion of inflammatory bowel disease. The subsequent diagnostic workup included colonoscopic examination of the cecal and terminal region of the ileum with multiple biopsies. After the pathologist had assessed the specimen as indicating Crohn's disease, appropriate therapy was initiated. Several days later, however, the patient was readmitted to a surgical intensive care unit with clinical signs of peritonitis and immediately operated on. The final diagnosis from a resection specimen confirmed the diagnosis of primary intestinal tuberculosis. The follow-up was complicated by a subhepatic abscess formation with the necessity for surgical drainage. The patient's recovery was uneventful, she underwent intensive antituberculotic therapy and is asymptomatic at present. Surgeons caring for patients with acute abdomen should be aware of tuberculous perforation peritonitis even in non-risk groups of patients.