[Peritoneal tuberculosis. Value of laparoscopy].

We report 6 cases of tuberculous peritonitis, focusing on the contribution of laparoscopic exploration. The initial diagnosis was erroneus in all cases: the polymorphous clinical presentations suggested another infectious disease or cancer disease. Laparoscopy was performed in 5 patients who had ascitis and in 1 with plastic peritonitis. At laparoscopy, the peritoneum showed miliary granulations and inflammatory adherences on the visceral or parietal sheats. Bacteriological analyses of the ascitic fluid were positive in only one case. The diagnosis was confirmed after culture of biopsy specimens and identification of the Kock bacilli or on the basis of objective evidence of an epithelioid giant-cell granuloma with caseous necrosis. Outcome was favorable after appropriate antibiotic therapy.