Diagnosis of anorectal tuberculosis by polymerase chain reaction, GeneXpert and histopathology in 1336 samples in 776 anal fistula patients
Pankaj Garg, Ankita Goyal, Vipul D. Yagnik, Sushil Dawka, Geetha R. Menon
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The association of tuberculosis (TB) with anal fistulas can make its treatment quite difficult. The main challenge is timely detection of TB in anal fistulas and its proper management. There is little data available on diagnosis and management of TB in anal fistulas. AIM: To detect TB in fistula-in-ano patients were analyzed in different methods utilized. METHODS: complex fistulae were studied. RESULTS: = 0.10, not significant, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: This is the largest study of anorectal TB to be published. The detection of TB by polymerase chain-reaction was significantly higher than by histopathology and GeneXpert. Amongst polymerase chain-reaction, pus had a higher detection rate than tissue. TB fistulas were more complex than non-tuberculous fistulas but aggressive diagnosis and meticulous treatment led to comparable overall success rates in both groups.