CLINICAL FEATURES IN 24 PATIENSTS WITH URINARY TUBERCULOSIS

In this study, clinical features in 24 patients diagnosed as urinary tuberculosis in our nephrology and urology clinics between 1993 and 2000 years were investigated retrospectively.

Fourteen patients (52 %) were male and mean age was 42 (18-66) year. Twenty percent of the patients were asymptomatic. Frequency-dysuria (41%), flank pain (33%) and macroscopic hematuria (12 %) were presenting symptoms. Physical examination was not diagnostically helpful in most of patients

Hematuria and/or pyuria were detected in 87 percent of the patients. Ten patients had positive urine cultures ofM. Tuberculosis (42 %) and 6 patients had positive smears (25 %). Definitive diagnosis of urinary tuberculosis was established microbiologically in 14 patients (58 %) and histopathologically in 10 patients (42 %). Hydronephrosis (majority bilateral) in 10 patients (42 %) contracted bladder in 8 cases (33%) and renal calcification in 6 cases (25 %) were detected. Two patients had also genital tuberculosis (orchiepiididymitis). While medical treatment was done in 12 patients alone for 9 months, plus medical therapy surgical intervention was also carried out in the others. End stage renal failure developed in one patient and died on hemodialysis. Renal functions had decreased moderately in other two patients.

In conclusion, the diagnosis of urinary tuberculosis was able to established after the obstructive complications and functional losses were developed in afair number of cases. Surgical treatment was carried out in half of patients. Urinary tuberculosis should take into consideration, since early diagnosis and treatment is very important for presenting of irreversible sequalae.