TUBERCULOSIS OF THE URACHUS WITH EXTENSIVE INTESTINAL AND PERITONEAL TUBERCULOSIS

Persisting portions of the urachus are among the more significant anomalous remnants of the embryonic urinary tract. In the medical literature only 3 reports of tuberculosis of the urachus could be found; in each, the disorder occurred in a woman who subsequently gave no evidence of progressive tuberculosis of other organs. This is the fourth case to be described and is the only instance in which a tuberculous urachus is reported to occur in a boy and in association with unusual manifestations of tuberculosis in other sites.

REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE  In 1899, Briddon and Eliot¹ excised an infected urachus in a 19 year old married woman, and on histologic examination made the diagnosis of tuberculosis. There was no history of previous contact with tuberculosis. Five weeks before admission, pain, redness and heat had occurred over what formerly was a normal navel. A small, pea-sized swelling formed at the