Appendicular Tuberculosis: A Rare Entity

Background: Tubercular appendicitis is a rarely encountered entity, even in developing country like India where tuberculosis (TB) is highly prevalent.

Case Report: A 26-year-old female patient presented initially with short duration epigastric pain associated with intermittent vomiting and mimicked non ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). The pain later became more intense, generalized, and finally localized to right iliac fossa. The initial ultrasonogram done by a junior radiologist was normal but a repeat done after a gap of three days revealed lump in right iliac fossa, surrounded with dilated gut loops but this lump was not appreciated on clinically. The laparoscopic appendicectomy was done which on histopathological examination showed tubercular appendicitis.

Conclusion: The rare diagnoses are infrequently encountered but do happen, hence index of suspicion should be high, as in the present case of tubercular appendicitis which initially mimicked non ulcer dyspepsia.

Publication History

Article published online:
22 April 2024