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Umbilical signs of peritoneal tuberculosis in children

Nitin Pant1, S Roy Choudhury, Amit Gupta

  • 1Department of Pediatric Suregery, Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India.

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|January 11, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Umbilical morphology changes in children may indicate peritoneal tuberculosis. This finding, observed in 50% of peritoneal tuberculosis cases, can aid in early diagnosis and treatment of this serious abdominal condition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) is a significant concern in children.
  • Peritoneal tuberculosis is a common form of ATB, often presenting with vague symptoms.
  • Diagnostic challenges in pediatric ATB necessitate exploring novel clinical indicators.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between umbilical morphology alterations and peritoneal tuberculosis in pediatric patients.
  • To determine if umbilical changes can serve as a diagnostic clue for peritoneal tuberculosis.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective observational case series.
  • Analysis of 38 pediatric ATB cases treated between January 2004 and April 2010.
  • Detailed examination of umbilical morphology in patients with peritoneal tuberculosis.

Main Results:

  • Out of 38 ATB cases, 22 had peritoneal tuberculosis.
  • Eleven (50%) of peritoneal tuberculosis cases exhibited umbilical changes, including retraction, puckering, erythema, or fistula.
  • Surgical findings in four cases revealed tubercles on bowel loops and peritoneum.

Conclusions:

  • Morphological changes of the umbilicus are observed in a significant proportion of children with peritoneal tuberculosis.
  • Umbilical alterations can serve as an additional clinical sign for diagnosing peritoneal tuberculosis in children.
  • Early recognition of these umbilical changes may facilitate timely diagnosis and management of pediatric peritoneal tuberculosis.
Abstract

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