Systemic spread of tuberculosis after surgery for a splenic tuberculous abscess without postoperational antituberculosis treatment: a case report

Abstract

Dong Yan,1,2 Cheng-Li Zhong,1 Lan-Juan Li1,2 1State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 2Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Solitary splenic tuberculosis (TB) is rare, with less than ten cases ever being reported. The diagnosis is established by the pathological analysis of a biopsy from a surgical operation or from a fine-needle aspiration sample. Manifestations of splenic TB include low-grade fever, weight loss, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. This case, however, has no obvious symptoms, and multiple splenic tubercles were discovered during a routine physical examination. Splenic abscesses from TB were diagnosed after the operation. Postoperative spread of TB lead to cerebral tuberculous abscesses and pulmonary TB. Resolution was achieved with anti-TB therapy. Keywords: solitary splenic tuberculosis, cerebral abscesses, lung tuberculosis, diagnosis, postoperative, antituberculosis treatment