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Abdominal tuberculosis presenting as ileocolic intussusception in an infant

Dipti Mahajan1, Sonu Nigam, Kavita Kohli

  • 1Department of Pathology, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi-110002, India.

Pediatric and Developmental Pathology : the Official Journal of the Society for Pediatric Pathology and the Paediatric Pathology Society
|November 16, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) can cause intussusception in infants, a rare but serious condition. This case highlights the importance of considering ATB in the differential diagnosis of pediatric intestinal obstruction, especially in endemic regions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Surgical Pathology

Background:

  • Intussusception is a leading cause of intestinal obstruction in infants, often idiopathic.
  • Abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) is a rare cause of intussusception, particularly in children.

Observation:

  • A 6-month-old infant presented with symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction.
  • Surgical exploration revealed ileocolic intussusception.
  • Histopathology confirmed caseating epithelioid cell granulomas with acid-fast bacilli.

Findings:

  • This case represents the second reported instance of ATB presenting as intussusception in a child and the first in an infant.
  • Tuberculosis was identified as the lead point for the intussusception.

Implications:

  • Tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intussusception lead points, even in infants.
  • Early diagnosis and treatment of ATB are crucial in endemic areas to prevent severe complications.

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