2012 Volume 32 Issue 1 Pages 125-128
A 79-year-old man with abdominal pain and vomiting as the chief complaints was brought to our hospital. Abdominal findings were mild tenderness in the lower right abdomen without peritoneal irritation. Abdominal CT did not show free air in the abdominal cavity. Although the patient underwent conservative treatment, abdominal findings worsened and CRP levels increased on day 2, and, hence, surgery was performed. Mass lesions and perforation were confirmed in the ileum. A diagnosis of perforative peritonitis due to ileac tuberculosis was made based on pathological examination of an isolated preparation. Enteric tuberculosis associated with perforation is rare in senior citizens, and the associations with malnutrition and a decrease in immunity were suggested for the patient. It was thought that the possibility of tuberculosis always warrants consideration when evaluating immunocompromised patients or those with a history of tuberculosis.
