Clinical Observation on Urinary Tract Tuberculosis

Kim, Hak Seon; Min, Byung Kap

Abstract

A clinical observation was made on 72 cases of urinary tract tuberculosis who had been admitted to the Department of Urology, Chonnam University Medical School, Kwangju, Korea, during the 6 year period from January 1, 1976 through December 31, 1981. The results were as follows: 1. During the period, there were 72 cases of urinary tract tuberculosis, 4.0% of total 1.809 patients who were hospitalized during the period. There was a tendency of significantly decreasing annual incidence of urinary tract tuberculosis. 2. Among these 72 patients, 51 (71%) belonged to the age group of 20 to 49. 3. Bilateral upper urinary tracts were affected in 17 cases, while only right urinary tract was involved in 32 cases and left one in 23 cases. 4. The initial subjective complaints were mostly of vesical irritability, such as frequency (52.8%), hematuria (29.2%) and painful urination (27.8%). 5. There were 19 patients (26.3%) who consulted 6 months through 1 year after onset of symptoms. 6. Past history or present active lesions of tuberculous diseases were noted elsewhere in 40 patients (55.6%), of which 18 had pulmonary tuberculosis. 7 Urinalysis revealed proteinuria in 77.8% of all cases, hematuria in 62.5%, pyuria in 52.8% and AFB stain was positive in 47.2%. 8. On excretory urogram, nonvisualization of the kidney was found in 29 cases (40.3%) and delayed visualization in 20 cases (27.8%), while abnormal ureteral findings were noted in 18 cases (25.0%). 9. Of 60 operated cases, 44 cases were managed with nephroureterectomy, 8 cases with nephroureterectomy and reconstructive surgery and 5 cases with nephroureterectomy and contralateral urinary diversion, but 3 cases with diversion only.