Isolated urethral tuberculosis in a middle-aged man: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Urogenital tuberculosis is a frequent disease in endemic countries. It is characterized by clinical polymorphism. The isolated urethral form is exceptional, even in countries with endemic tuberculosis. We present a rare case of urogenital tuberculosis in a man revealed by urethral narrowing and multiple urethro-scrotal fistulas. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient, a Moroccan man, was 40 years old. He visited our hospital for a urology consultation and presented with dysuria, purulent discharge and a meatic penoscrotal fistula. A retrograde and voiding urethrocystography was performed and revealed an extended narrowing of the whole anterior urethra associated with multiple fistulous portions toward the scrotum and perineum. At this stage, we reached a diagnosis of nonspecific sclero-inflammatory urethral stricture with complicating fistulas. We decided to perform a urethroplasty enlargement to clear the narrowing urethral sinus tracts. The evolution was marked by delayed wound healing associated with the persistence of fistulas extending into the corpus cavernosum with purulent discharge. It was at this point in the treatment that we suspected tuberculosis. Multiple biopsies were then performed on the periurethral tissue and fistula tracts. The histological examination confirmed urethral tuberculosis and showed the presence of giant cell epithelial lesions with caseous necrosis characteristic of tuberculosis. The treatment for tuberculosis was immediately established and the evolution was marked by a localized, rapid and significant improvement. A second-stage urethroplasty was scheduled for two months after the start of his antituberculous treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Urogenital tuberculosis is common, but isolated urethral involvement is very rare even in countries with endemic tuberculosis. We urge practitioners, and especially urologists, to consider the disease in their investigation whenever given clinical signs are declared.