ABDOMINAL TUBERCULOSIS LEADING TO PORTAL VEIN THROMBOSIS, MIMICKING PERITONEAL CARCINOMATOSIS AND LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Abstract

Abdominal tuberculosis is a rare infectious disease that can involve the peritoneum and lead to portal vein thrombosis and mimic peritoneal carcinomatosis. We report on a 43-year-old male patient with fatigue and progressive weight loss for two years. Ascites was the only pathologic finding in his physical examination and laboratory findings revealed only a mild anaemia with Ca-125 elevation. The ascitic fluid Adenosine deaminase (ADA) level was also elevated. Computed tomography revealed splenomegaly, a mesenteric mass measuring 3.5 cm and intra-abdominal lymphadenopathies at the hepatic hilum. Oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) revealed oesophageal varices which was also consistent with portal hypertension. Diagnostic laparotomy and biopsies obtained from the omentum and the lymph nodes revealed acid-fast staining tuberculosis bacilli.

Keywords:

• Portal vein thrombosis
• portal hypertension
• tuberculosis
• peritoneum
• intra-abdominal mass