Surgical treatment of tuberculosis of the female genital tract.

A study has been made of 91 women with proved tuberculosis of the genital tract treated by surgery between 1st January, 1951 and 15th October, 1979. In 77 the operation was performed during anti-tuberculosis drug therapy. In the remainder the diagnosis was made after operation and drug therapy was started as soon as possible thereafter. The indications for operation were paid (40 patients), pelvic masses (36 patients), recurrence of endometrial tuberculosis (10 patients), uterine bleeding (3 patients) and suspicion of endometrial neoplasia (2 patients). Total hysterectomy with removal of both tubes and ovaries was done in all patients except two, in whom pelvic clearance was not technically feasible. No patient developed a fistula and there were no deaths. All patients were well at follow-up.