TB Research

Disseminated Tuberculosis Complicated by Choroidal Tuberculoma and Exudative Retinal Detachment: A Case Report

Zilong Zhang, Yanan Wang, Zhenghao Zhang, 徐永根

Ocular Immunology and Inflammation · 2026-04

Abstract

PURPOSE: To report a rare case of concurrent tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) and ocular tuberculosis presenting as choroidal tuberculoma and exudative retinal detachment in a young male, highlighting the potential for multisystem dissemination and risk of visual impairment when ocular involvement is overlooked. METHODS: This report describes a 20-year-old male patient who presented with abdominal pain and was confirmed to have TBP through imaging and histopathology, subsequently developing ocular complications during anti-tuberculous therapy. RESULTS: During treatment for TBP, the patient developed choroidal tuberculoma and exudative retinal detachment, demonstrating that ocular tuberculosis can manifest despite appropriate systemic antimicrobial therapy and represents progressive multisystem dissemination. CONCLUSION: This case underscores the potential for multisystem dissemination of tuberculosis and the complexity of its clinical manifestations, particularly in adolescents and young males. It emphasizes that ocular tuberculosis can coexist with TBP and may be frequently overlooked, potentially resulting in visual impairment, thereby warranting comprehensive evaluation in young patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

MeSH terms

  • Medicine
  • Tuberculosis
  • Extrapulmonary tuberculosis
  • Tuberculoma
  • Ocular tuberculosis
  • Dermatology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Retinal
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Young adult