CERVICAL TUBERCULOUS LYMPHADENITIS

Methods: Medical records of 56 patients, who were treated for cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis, were retrospectively reviewed. The treatment protocol consisted standard anti-tuberculous medication followed by nodal excision of the cervical lymphadenitis and results of the treatment were evaluated.

Results: The chief complaint was a neck mass with a concomitant fistula formation in some of the patients. Mass was localized mostly the posterior (%50) and deep cervical lymph nodes (%32). Definitive diagnosis of the tuberculous lymphadenitis was confirmed with histopathologic studies in all of the patients and cultures yielded positive results 16 (%29) of the patients. All patients recovered from cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis by combined anti-tuberculous chemotherapy and surgery.

Conclusion: Clinical presentation of the patients and histopathological assesment are important in the diagnosis of cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis. Tuberculosis of the cervical lymph nodes responds well to anti-tuberculous medication and the role of the surgery is limited. Keywords : M.tuberculosis, Cervical lymphadenitis, Diagnosis, Treatment