Renal Tuberculosis Presenting as a Tumour of the Upper Urinary Tract: A Very Rare Case

Urinary tract tuberculosis is a relatively common form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, accounting for 3-5% of all cases of tuberculosis [1].

We report a very rare case of a 44-year-old man who presented with right flank pain and weight loss. CT SCAN showed a tumour of the right upper urinary tract. This smoking patient with no pathological history underwent surgery, nephro-ureterectomy with a bladder circular patch was performed in open surgery, but pathology described tuberculous lesions without tumour. An anti-tuberculosis therapy of nine months was started; the patient had a good result after two years.

This type of situation is exceptional, but this tuberculosis localization must be considered in the differential diagnosis of carcinoma of the upper urinary tract, especially in areas where tuberculosis is endemic. Endoscopic exploration with or without biopsy may be the tool to make the diagnosis and avoid radical surgery.