Hepatic Tuberculosis: A Rare Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

We report a case of primary abscessed hepatic tuberculosis in the visceral surgery department of Mohamed V Military Hospital of Rabat, a 32-year-old female patient with no medical history. Admitted with right hypochondrium pain, associated with swelling of the right lateral chest wall. Clinical examination revealed tender hepatomegaly on palpation. Abdominal CT revealed a cystic lesion of the liver in segments V, VI and VII extending to the right lateral chest wall, forming a collection in an intermuscular plane. Biological tests were normal. The initial diagnosis was a hydatid cyst of the liver, and surgery was decided upon. However, histological examination of the cyst wall revealed tuberculoid granulomatous inflammation with caseous necrosis. The diagnosis of hepatic tuberculosis was retained, and antituberculosis treatment was instituted, the patient having progressed well. Analysis of this case report and of the literature suggests that this condition is rare, polymorphous and not very suggestive.