Surgical resection of a tuberculoma in the diaphragm: a case report

Background Extrapulmonary tuberculosis commonly affects the lymphatic system, nervous system, and gastrointestinal system. Tuberculous infection in the muscle is very rare. Moreover, tuberculous infection in the diaphragm is extremely rare. We herein report a case of tuberculomas in the diaphragm and posterior mediastinum that were successfully diagnosed and treated. Case presentation We encountered a 62-year-old woman with a tuberculoma in the diaphragm. The patient presented with mild dyspnea. Computed tomography showed a mass in the left diaphragm, focal thickening of the posterior mediastinum, and multiple nodules in the lungs. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed increased uptake in the left diaphragm mass and thickening of the posterior mediastinum; therefore, we considered the masses to be malignant and planned surgical resection. However, the patient was diagnosed with tuberculosis from a sputum culture, and she was treated with anti-tuberculous therapy. The masses in the diaphragm and posterior mediastinum had become enlarged after 6 months of anti-tuberculous therapy; therefore, the patient underwent resection of both masses. Tuberculous infection was histologically confirmed in each lesion. She was pathologically diagnosed with tuberculous abscesses in the diaphragm and posterior mediastinum and began treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs. Conclusions Preoperative diagnosis of a tuberculoma in the diaphragm is usually difficult, and surgical intervention is important for both diagnosis and treatment.