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Clin Transplant Res 2024; 38(3): 235-240

Published online September 30, 2024

https://doi.org/10.4285/ctr.24.0023

© The Korean Society for Transplantation

Unilateral testicular tuberculosis in a kidney transplant recipient: a case report

Jaeseok Yang1 , Yaerim Kim1 , Woo Yeong Park1 , Kyubok Jin1 , Seungyeup Han1 , Byung Hoon Kim2 , Misun Choe3 , Jin Hyuk Paek1

1Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
2Department of Urology, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea
3Department of Pathology, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea

Correspondence to: Jin Hyuk Paek
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, 1095 Dalgubeoldaero, Dalseo-gu, Daegu 42601, Korea
E-mail: novawang@naver.com

Received: April 22, 2024; Revised: June 10, 2024; Accepted: July 7, 2024

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) of the genitourinary system is a rare form of extrapulmonary TB. Testicular TB is particularly uncommon among kidney transplantation (KT) recipients. Diagnosing testicular TB is challenging due to the nonspecific nature of clinical presentations and ambiguous imaging results. In this report, we describe a case involving a 36-year-old male KT recipient who presented with left scrotal pain. He had undergone a living donor KT 8 years prior and was receiving tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisolone. Laboratory tests revealed anemia, leukocytosis, and elevated inflammatory markers. Computed tomography showed left scrotal wall thickening and enlargement, suggestive of a left testicular abscess. We discontinued mycophenolate mofetil and administered intravenous antibiotics. Additionally, we performed an incision and drainage of the abscess. However, there was no improvement in his clinical course. Consequently, we performed a radical left orchiectomy. The biopsy revealed extensive chronic granulomatous inflammation with caseous necrosis, consistent with tuberculous orchiepididymitis. A quadruple anti-TB regimen was administered, leading to an improvement in the patient's condition. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of testicular TB without other organ involvement in KT recipients. Including testicular TB in the differential diagnosis of testicular infections and masses is necessary to avoid unnecessary surgical procedures.

Keywords: Tuberculosis, Testis, Genitourinary system, Kidney transplantation, Case report