Ureteral involvement in genitourinary tuberculosis: review of 20 cases encountered over three years.

Genitourinary tuberculosis continues to be a significant worldwide problem. In the southwestern United States, this is particularly true among Indians and Spanish-Americans who, in the experience of the authors, frequently present with advanced and neglected disease. The possibility of silent development or progression of ureteral strictures while on antituberculous medication demands routine urographic evaluation of all patients in whom pulmonary tuberculosis is diagnosed. A large percentage of patients with ureteral tuberculosis undergo stricture formation or progression while on chemotherapy, and require reconstructive ureteral surgery if renal destruction is to be avoided.