Role of Endoscopic Ultrasound in the Management of Tubercular Uveitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology (EUS-FNAC) in patients of tubercular uveitis.

DESIGN

Interventional case series

Methods

Thirty patients suspected of tubercular uveitis that underwent EUS-FNAC were enrolled in the study. The patient details recorded were age, gender, systemic history, ocular complaints and clinical manifestations. The details of the investigations - skin test, X-Ray chest, CECT (contrast enhanced computed tomography) of chest and findings on EUS-FNAC were also recorded.

RESULTS

Thirty patients with suspected tubercular uveitis showed mediastinal lymphadenopathy on CECT-chest and underwent EUS-FNAC. A total of 27 patients showed tubercular lymphadenitis and three patients showed reactive lymphadenopathy. Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining was positive for acid-fast bacilli in four cases and culture was positive in one case. There were no noted complications of EUS-FNAC.

CONCLUSION

EUS-FNAC is a safe and efficacious procedure for confirming the diagnosis of tubercular uveitis and should be routinely employed wherever available.