Obstructive jaundice and hematemesis: two cases with unusual presentations of intra-abdominal tuberculosis.

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is notorious for its many manifestations, which can lead to delayed diagnosis and treatment. In particular, abdominal tuberculosis is easily overlooked because the incidence is low and because it can mimic common noninfectious abdominal syndromes. We describe here a 37-year-old Moroccan man presenting with obstructive jaundice and a 42-year-old man originating from the Philippines who presented with recurrent hematemesis due to portal hypertension. In both patients, a retroperitoneal mass was found and tuberculosis was first diagnosed after a diagnostic laparotomy. Tuberculosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of intra-abdominal mass lesions, especially in persons originating from regions where tuberculosis is endemic. Invasive procedures are often required to obtain adequate diagnostic samples.