Clinico-Pathological Study of Cervical Lymphadenopathy

Abstract

To know the incidence and aetiological factors of cervical lymphadenopathy. To know the most common group of lymph nodes enlarged. To assess the response to management. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study includes 50 patients who attended the Surgical OPD, studied taking detailed clinical history, after physical examination and arriving at clinical diagnosis, confirmation was done by FNAC and biopsy. RESULTS Tuberculous lymphadenopathy is the commonest cause of cervical lymphadenopathy with 68% followed by chronic nonspecific lymphadenopathy with 32%. There was no case of sarcoidosis in this series. Disease commonly affected the 2 nd and 3 rd decades with 19% and 18% respectively. There is comparatively an increased incidence of tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy in females than males. The average age of presentation was 30.5 years. There was no definite history of contact with tuberculosis in 82% of cases. In this study series, 44% of the patients belonged to the low income group, 46% belonged to the middle income group. There was only unilateral involvement of node in 72% of cases right side was affected in 32% and left side was affected in 40% of cases. Bilateral involvement was seen in 14% of the cases. The lymph nodes were associated with other groups of lymph nodes in 10% of cases. Chest radiography findings showed the evidence of coexisting active tuberculosis lesions in 8 out of 50 cases (16%) and normal was 42(84%). CONCLUSION Knowledge about clinico-demographic perspectives of cervical lymphadenopathy in respect to their cytopathological diagnosis will help to detect/refer the respective cases early for investigations and treatment. Surgical intervention is definitely required in many cases, though most of the cases are medically curable.