Objective: Extra-laryngeal head and neck tuberculosis is exceptional. Therefore, a retrospective multicenter study in patients with head and neck tuberculosis, excluding solitary lymphadenitis and laryngeal locations was carried out.
Methods: We reviewed the patients with these features and tuberculosis confirmation by culture and/or histologic granuloma with presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB).
Results: We found 16 patients with the following locations: eight in oral cavity and/or pharynx, four in ear, two in salivary glands, one in nose and one in frontal sinuses. The average duration of symptoms was 11.5 months. Purified protein derivative (PPD) was positive (> 10 mm) in all but one patient in whom it was performed (six of seven). Except tuberculous otitis, which occured without reactive lymphadenitis, this was present in 50% of the rest (six of the 12). In all cases a biopsy was required for diagnosis. Only in four patients, all with pharyngeal locations, was coincident pulmonary tuberculosis confirmed. One patient with tuberculous otitis developed meningitis and died; three additional patients (two with otitis) were cured but with sequelae; the evolution of the remaining patients was satisfactory with medical therapy.
Conclusions: Extra-laryngeal head and neck tuberculosis has a slow course. The diagnosis is difficult due to the common absence of lung involvement and the usual requirements for biopsy procedures. The outcome is usually favorable with antituberculous drugs alone although in tuberculous otitis there are possibilities of complications.