[Clinical characteristics and management of primary cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis]

To investigate the clinical characteristics and management of primary cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis.

Thirty-two patients with primary cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis were reported, of which four patients were diagnosed definitely by fine needle aspiration cytology, twenty-eight patients were diagnosed definitely by incisional or excisional biopsy. Twenty-nine patients have been examined by computer tomography (CT) before biopsy. Twenty-seven patients got anti tuberculosis therapy for six months after the total masses resection or regional cervical lymph node dissection, while the others got general anti tuberculosis chemotherapy for one year.

CT showed the iso-density enhancement or heterogeneous enhancement of the masses. All patients were followed up. After anti tuberculosis therapy for three months, one patient was diagnosed as cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis combined with cervical lymph node metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and treated by radiotherapy in the department of oncology, the other thirty-one patients had no relapse and other manifestations of tuberculosis.

The characteristics of primary cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis have been changed, cervical masses localized mostly to the posterior cervical regions were the first and major clinical symptoms. CT examination will be helpful for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of such disease. Primary cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis can be treated effectively with combination of standard anti tuberculosis chemotherapy and surgical excision of the cervical lymph nodes. Operations play an important role in the therapy of primary cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis, such as shortening the treatment period, reducing the dosage, noxious and side-effect of drugs and avoiding the forming of abscess or sinus.