Intestinal tuberculosis

Intestinal tuberculosis is a chronic specific infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis invading the intestine. The vast majority are secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis, especially open pulmonary tuberculosis. The main symptoms are abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits. The onset age is mostly young adults, with those under 40 years old accounting for 91.7%. Females are more affected than males, with a ratio of approximately 1.85:1. According to pathological features, intestinal tuberculosis can be divided into three types: ulcerative, hyperplastic, and ulcero-hypertrophic. The tuberculous lesions are mostly in the ileocecal region, followed by the ascending colon, jejunum, transverse colon, descending colon, appendix, duodenum, and sigmoid colon, with a few seen in the rectum. In the past, it was relatively common in China. In recent decades, with the improvement of living and sanitary conditions, the prevalence of tuberculosis has declined, and this disease has gradually decreased. However, since pulmonary tuberculosis is still common in China, continued vigilance for this disease is needed clinically. The treatment goals of intestinal tuberculosis are to eliminate symptoms, improve the general condition, promote healing of lesions, and prevent complications. Early treatment is emphasized because early lesions of intestinal tuberculosis are reversible. Rest and nutrition can enhance the patient's resistance and are the basis of treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine treatments include acupuncture, moxibustion, and auricular acupoint pressing. The prognosis of this disease depends on early diagnosis and timely treatment. When the lesion is still in the exudative stage, it can heal after treatment with a good prognosis. Rational selection of anti-tuberculosis drugs, ensuring adequate dosage and sufficient course of treatment, is also key to determining the prognosis. Prevention of this disease should focus on early diagnosis and active treatment of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, especially pulmonary tuberculosis, so that sputum bacteria become negative as soon as possible. Patients with pulmonary tuberculosis should not swallow sputum, should maintain regular bowel movements, and the use of shared chopsticks for meals is advocated. Milk should be sterilized.