Abstract
Twenty patients with tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis, aged 11 to 74 years (mean age, 40) were treated in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kitasato University Hospital from 1971 to 1988. The neck lesion was resected, and tuberculosis was confirm histologically in all 20 patients. The clinical features were discussed retrospectively. The disease is not frequent today but can still occur. One or Two patients with this disease visited the Department every year. Painless swelling of the upper and/or middle cervical lymph nodes was the most common feature. Immunodeficiency of moderate grade was present in 50% of the patients. A positive tuberculin skin test, elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, chest X-ray abnormalities and calcification of the cervical lymph nodes revealed by plain X-ray or CT scan were important diagnotic tests.
