[Compressive tuberculous lymphadenitis of the common bile duct: spontaneous recovery by fistulization in the choledochus].

The authors report the case of a 26 year old man who presented with jaundice after an operation for peritoneal and ileal tuberculosis. Abdominal sonography, CT Scan and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography showed that the jaundice was due to the compression of the common bile duct by tuberculous lymph nodes. This compression disappeared after spontaneous fistulisation into the common bile duct. The review of the literature shows that this localisation of tuberculous lymphadenitis is uncommon and is rarely diagnosed before laparotomy. Antituberculous therapy alone is generally not sufficient and should be associated with surgical treatment.