Colonoscopy in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis in children

Childhood abdominal tuberculosis has protean manifestations and remains a difficult diagnosis problem, often requiring surgery for pathological confirmation. Colonoscopy, however, can now be performed with safety in children and appears to offer a new and better alternative to surgery. An earlier experience confirmed its value in the management of ileocaecal tuberculosis as it provided histological proof and bacteriological information to guide chemotherapy, avoiding the need for anaesthesia and laparotomy. However, colonoscopy hasn't been helpful in the diagnosis of the 'exudative' type of abdominal tuberculosis.