Primary tuberculosis of the appendix

Abstract

Primary (isolated) tuberculosis of the appendix is a clinical rarity, its reported incidence being 0.1 to 0.3%. Diagnosis is often made only after histopathological examination of resected specimen. This report describes two patients with clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis and appendicular mass respectively, who were finally diagnosed to have tuberculosis of the appendix on histopathological examination. This article stresses the importance of histopathological examination of resected appendix.