Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

An Unusual Presentation of Cutaneous Tuberculosis for Surgeons—Review Of Literature

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Indian Journal of Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tuberculosis is one of the oldest diseases on earth. With rising trends of immunosuppressive states, the extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis have emerged and are flourishing. Most often it is the systemic dissemination of the bacilli from the primary infective foci during the periods of low immunity. Cutaneous manifestation of tuberculosis in the form of injection abscess or traumatic inoculation is well known; however, sporadic occurrence of it in the form of abscess with no underlying lesions is quite rare. This would caution the treating units in the endemic areas about the possibility of tuberculosis as the disease in any inflammatory disorder of skin with acute presentations with no systemic symptoms. Only a high index of suspicion would render an early detection and recovery. Our case is one such incident.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sehgal VN, Srivastava MD, Khurana VK et al (1987) An appraisal of epidemiologic, clinical, bacteriologic, histopathologic and immunologic parameters in cutaneous tuberculosis. Int J Dermatol 26:521–516

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Kumar B, Kaur S (1986) Pattern of cutaneous tuberculosis in North India. Ind J Dermatol Venereol Leprol 52:203–207

    Google Scholar 

  3. Handog EB, Gabriel TG, Pineda RT (2008) Management of cutaneous tuberculosis. Dermatol Ther 21(3):154–161

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Rai VM, Shenoi SD, Gowrinath (2005) Tuberculous gluteal abscess coexisting with scrofuloderma and tubercular lymphadenitis. Dermatol Online J 11(3):14

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Frankel A, Penrose C, Emer J et al (2009) Cutaneous tuberculosis: a practical case report and review for the dermatologist. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2(10):19–27

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Yasmeen N, Kanjee A (2005) Cutaneous tuberculosis: a three-year prospective study. J Pak Med Assoc 55(1):10–12

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bazex J, Bauriaud R, Margeury MC (1996) Cutaneous mycobacteriosis. Rev Pract 46(13):1603–1610

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Thomas Herenlippe, MP, chief editor, et al emedicine.medscape.com/article/230802 overview

  9. Tan SH, Tan BH, Goh CL et al (1999) Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA using polymerase chain reaction in cutaneous tuberculosis and tuberculids. Int J Dermatol 38(2):122–127

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Pai M (2004) The accuracy and reliability of nucleic acid amplification tests in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Natl Med J India 17(5):233–236

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Hsiao PF, Tzen CY, Chen HC, Su HY (2003) Polymerase chain reaction based detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in tissues showing granulomatous inflammation without demonstrable acid-fast bacilli. Int J Dermatol 42(4):281–286

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Diagnostic Standards and Classification of Tuberculosis in Adults and Children. This official statement of the American Thoracic Society and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was adopted by the ATS Board of Directors, July 1999. This statement was endorsed by the Council of the Infectious Disease Society of America, September 1999. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2000;161:1376–1395

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ramam M, Mittal R, Ramesh V (2005) How soon does cutaneous tuberculosis respond to treatment? Implications for a therapeutic test of diagnosis. Int J Dermatol 44(2):121–124

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Frankel A, Penrose C, Emer J (2009) Cutaneous tuberculosis: a practical case report and review for the dermatologist. J Clin Aesthetic Dermatol 2(10):19–27

    Google Scholar 

  15. Pandhi RK, Bedi TR, Kanwar AJ et al (1977) Cutaneous tuberculosis—clinical and investigative study. Ind J Dermatol 22:99–117

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gopinathan R, Pandit D, Joshi J, Jerajani H, Mathur M (2001) Clinical and morphological variants of cutaneous tuberculosis and its relation to Mycobacterium species. Indian J Med Microbiol 19:193–196

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Banerjee RK, Bedi TR, Kanwar AJ, Bhutani LK (1977) A clinical and investigative study of cutaneous tuberculosis. Indian J Dermatol 22:63–66

    Google Scholar 

  18. Wong K, Lee KP, Chiu SF (1968) Tuberculosis of the skin in Hong Kong. A review of 160 cases. Br J Dermatol 80:424–429

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Speert DP (1992) Tuberculosis. In: Krugman S, Katz SI, Gershon AA, Wilfort CM (eds) Infectious diseases of children, 9th edn. Mosby, Missouri, pp 551–552

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kovats F, Miskovits G, Hutas I (1955) Experimental studies on the formation of tuberculous abscesses following intramuscular injections. Orv Hetil 96:1126–1129

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Jones VS, Philip C (2005) Isolated gluteal tuberculosis. Indian Pediatr J 42:955

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Peter CK (1937) Some thoughts on tuberculosis of fascia and muscle. Lancet 57:156–159

    Google Scholar 

  23. Patra AC, Gharami RC, Banerjee PK (2006) A profile of cutaneous tuberculosis. Ind J Dermatol 51(2):105–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Abdelwahab IF, Kenan S, Hermann G, Klein MJ (1998) Tuberculous gluteal abscess without bone involvement. Skeletal Radiol 27:36–39

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Knezevic P, Knezevic B, Skerlev M, Uglesic V (2009) Primary tuberculosis of the cheek skin: difficulties in diagnostic procedure. MJMS 2(3):235–238

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. H. Harsha.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Banashankari, G.S., Rudresh, H.K., Harsha, A.H. et al. An Unusual Presentation of Cutaneous Tuberculosis for Surgeons—Review Of Literature. Indian J Surg 74, 314–317 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-011-0396-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-011-0396-1

Keywords

Navigation