CLINICAL PATTERN AND DIAGNOSIS OF THE CERVICAL LYMPHADENITIS AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: Determine the clinical presentation and diagnosis of the cervical lymphadenitis at tertiary care Hospital. Material and methods: This was a descriptive and case series study and was carried out at general surgery department of LUMHS Hyderabad/Jamshoro. Study was conducted with duration of on years from 2015 to July 2016. Both genders were selected. Complete relevant laboratory investigations were carried out. All patients were underwent FNAC, and also incisional biopsies were carried out under the local anesthesia in some cases where it was needed for proper diagnosis. I cases having abscess, the biopsies were done from walls of lymph nodes and puss was drained. All the specimens were sent to diagnostic laboratory for histopathological diagnosis. All the data was entered in the predestined proforma. RESULTS: Total 46 cases were selected in this series with presentation of cervical lymphadenitis, patient's mean age was found 34.21+5.12 years. Female gender was found in the majority 28(40.87%). Fever was commonest clinical feature in 76% cases. Following by swelling, abscess, solid nodes, weight loss, loss of appetite and others were noted with percentage of 55.69%, 39.13%, 45.65%, 58.69% and 21.73% respectively. Tuberculosis was found commonest diagnosis in 57.14% cases, reactive hyperplasia in the 02(04.34%), Metastasis in 1 case, Lymphoma in 10.86% cases, Kikuchi in 1 case, non-specific was found in 10.86% cases while SCC was noted only in 1 case. CONCLUSION: Cervical lymphadenitis was most frequent in females. Commonest clinical features were Fever, swelling, weight loss, loss of appetite and abscess. Most common histopathological diagnosis was tuberculosis and lymphoma, while malignancy was only in one case. Key words: Cervical lymphadenitis, clinical pattern, diagnosis