Genitourinary tuberculosis. A study of 1117 cases over a period of 34 years.

One thousand one hundred and seventeen patients with genitourinary tuberculosis who were treated over a period of 34 years have been reviewed. During this time various regimens of treatment were used and have been evaluated. Emphasis is placed on the results of the group on short-course chemotherapy which has been in use since 1970 and is now standard practice. This group has been carefully studied, as the chemotherapeutic combinations are important to developing countries. The clinical response, sterilisation of urine, urinary reversion, drug toxicity and the place of surgery in relation to modern chemotherapy have been discussed and assessed. They show that the results of short-course chemotherapy are satisfactory and confirm that there is no need to extend chemotherapy beyond 4 months, except in unusual circumstances.