Peritoneal biopsy for diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis.

Sunmmary Eighty-eight patients with abdominal tuberculosis were studied for the diagnostic value of peritoneal biopsy. Peritoneum for biopsy was obtained during laparotomy in 41 cases and by making a small incision in the right iliac fossa, under local anaesthesia, in 47 cases. In 80% histopathological examination revealed caseation or giant cells and epithelioid cell infiltration. In 20% non-specific inflammatory changes were present. Thus, histopathological examination of the peritoneum was helpful in the diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis in all the 88 patients.