Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease
(1) Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) of the head and neck is a rare but difficult diagnosis due to mostly absent pulmonary involvement and high clinical resemblance to neoplastic or chronic inflammatory conditions. This diagnosis still poses a challenge for otorhinolaryngologists, due...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Carmen Aurelia Mogoantă Andrei Osman Alina-Maria Georgescu Alexandra Maria Mitroi Constantin Ioan Busuioc Ionuţ Tănase Ramona Cioboată Ilona Mihaela Liliac Ovidiu Lucian Cimpeanu Mircea Sorin Ciolofan |
| author_facet | Carmen Aurelia Mogoantă Andrei Osman Alina-Maria Georgescu Alexandra Maria Mitroi Constantin Ioan Busuioc Ionuţ Tănase Ramona Cioboată Ilona Mihaela Liliac Ovidiu Lucian Cimpeanu Mircea Sorin Ciolofan |
| author_sort | Carmen Aurelia Mogoantă |
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| description | (1) Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) of the head and neck is a rare but difficult diagnosis due to mostly absent pulmonary involvement and high clinical resemblance to neoplastic or chronic inflammatory conditions. This diagnosis still poses a challenge for otorhinolaryngologists, due to non-specific symptoms and the low index of suspicion in non-endemic regions. (2) Methods: This study presents a retrospective review of nine cases of head and neck EPTB diagnosed at two regional hospitals in southern Romania. Patients presented with pharyngeal, laryngeal, or cervical lymph node involvement. All cases underwent surgical biopsies for histopathological and microbiological confirmation, followed by standard anti-tubercular therapy. (3) Results: In all nine cases, surgical biopsies were essential for the accurate diagnosis and excluded malignancy or other granulomatous diseases. Diagnostic delays were observed due to atypical clinical presentations. Integration of biopsy findings with anti-tubercular treatment resulted in favorable disease control and clinical recovery. (4) Conclusions: Head and neck EPTB requires a high index of suspicion and clinical discernment. Surgical biopsy remains a critical diagnostic tool in practice and should be considered early in the diagnostic process when encountering atypical lesions. A timely use improves diagnostic accuracy, may eliminate delays, ensures patient safety, and improves therapeutic outcomes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2f9b6338ef3a445cbcafed12b4c1f240 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj-art-2f9b6338ef3a445cbcafed12b4c1f2402025-08-20T01:56:44ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-05-0114547910.3390/pathogens14050479Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary DiseaseCarmen Aurelia Mogoantă0Andrei Osman1Alina-Maria Georgescu2Alexandra Maria Mitroi3Constantin Ioan Busuioc4Ionuţ Tănase5Ramona Cioboată6Ilona Mihaela Liliac7Ovidiu Lucian Cimpeanu8Mircea Sorin Ciolofan9Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDepartment of Anatomy and Embriology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDoctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDoctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDepartment of Pathology, Sfânta Maria Hospital, 011172 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Pneumology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDepartment of Histology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDoctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, RomaniaDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania(1) Background: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) of the head and neck is a rare but difficult diagnosis due to mostly absent pulmonary involvement and high clinical resemblance to neoplastic or chronic inflammatory conditions. This diagnosis still poses a challenge for otorhinolaryngologists, due to non-specific symptoms and the low index of suspicion in non-endemic regions. (2) Methods: This study presents a retrospective review of nine cases of head and neck EPTB diagnosed at two regional hospitals in southern Romania. Patients presented with pharyngeal, laryngeal, or cervical lymph node involvement. All cases underwent surgical biopsies for histopathological and microbiological confirmation, followed by standard anti-tubercular therapy. (3) Results: In all nine cases, surgical biopsies were essential for the accurate diagnosis and excluded malignancy or other granulomatous diseases. Diagnostic delays were observed due to atypical clinical presentations. Integration of biopsy findings with anti-tubercular treatment resulted in favorable disease control and clinical recovery. (4) Conclusions: Head and neck EPTB requires a high index of suspicion and clinical discernment. Surgical biopsy remains a critical diagnostic tool in practice and should be considered early in the diagnostic process when encountering atypical lesions. A timely use improves diagnostic accuracy, may eliminate delays, ensures patient safety, and improves therapeutic outcomes.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/5/479extrapulmonary tuberculosistonsillar tuberculosislaryngeal tuberculosisunilateral cervical lymphadenopathyZiehl–Neelsen staining |
| spellingShingle | Carmen Aurelia Mogoantă Andrei Osman Alina-Maria Georgescu Alexandra Maria Mitroi Constantin Ioan Busuioc Ionuţ Tănase Ramona Cioboată Ilona Mihaela Liliac Ovidiu Lucian Cimpeanu Mircea Sorin Ciolofan Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease Pathogens extrapulmonary tuberculosis tonsillar tuberculosis laryngeal tuberculosis unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy Ziehl–Neelsen staining |
| title | Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease |
| title_full | Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease |
| title_fullStr | Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease |
| title_full_unstemmed | Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease |
| title_short | Head and Neck Tuberculosis: A Rare Diagnosis and the Role of Surgical Biopsy and Histopathological Evaluation in Extrapulmonary Disease |
| title_sort | head and neck tuberculosis a rare diagnosis and the role of surgical biopsy and histopathological evaluation in extrapulmonary disease |
| topic | extrapulmonary tuberculosis tonsillar tuberculosis laryngeal tuberculosis unilateral cervical lymphadenopathy Ziehl–Neelsen staining |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/5/479 |
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