[Tuberculosis infections of the head and neck].

Following a dramatic fall in tuberculosis, the last two decades have seen not only an increase in its overall frequency but also the extrapulmonary forms, including head and neck tuberculosis, have increased in proportion. Despite this rise, head and neck tuberculosis is still very rare, except for cervical adenitis. This fact and the non-specific nature of its presentation explain that tuberculosis is often an unexpected finding in biopsy results. Notwithstanding the advances in the diagnosis of tuberculosis, with ever speedier and more reliable tests such as polymerase chain reaction, its detection almost always requires the performance of invasive procedures such as punctures or biopsies. On the other hand, the diagnostic gold standard is still the culture of mycobacteria, a test that requires waiting times potentially of more than a month. The greatest recent advance in tuberculosis treatment is the existence of a pharmacological cure, making surgery practically unnecessary following diagnosis.