[Intracranial tuberculomas in Nouakchott, Mauritania]

Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in developing countries. Cerebral tuberculomas is a tuberculous granulation tissue mass restrained and limited by immune defenses of the host. This study aims to describe the characteristics and the evolutionary profile of intracranial tuberculomas in Mauritania. Data of 34 patients with intracranial tuberculoma were collected retrospectively in several hospitals in the city of Nouakchott between January 2005 and June 2017. Evolutionary features of patients under treatment were analyzed. Our retrospective study involved 20 men and 14 women (sex ratio 1.4). The average age of our patients was 28.7 years. Twelve patients were less than or equal to 16 years. Symptomatology was dominated by increased intracranial pressure and seizures in 27 cases (79.41%) and 20 cases (58.82%) respectively. Intradermo tuberculin reaction was positive in 14 (41.17%) cases. Supratentorial lesion was found in 24 patients (70.58%). In all patients, therapeutic approach was based on multidrug chemotherapy for a period greater than or equal to 12 months. Surgical procedure was performed in 12 patients (35.29%). Outcome was favorable with complete healing without sequelae in 23 cases, reflecting a rate of 67.64%. Given the non-specific role of imaging exams in the diagnosis of intracranial tuberculoma and the lack of the stereotactic biopsy in our Country where the disease is endemic, we recommend to perform a two-month therapeutic test in patients with suspicious lesions.