In the differential diagnosis of neck swelling, enlargement of cervical lymph nodes is one of the possibilities taken into consideration.  Apart from clinical examination, cytological examination contributes to the work up of such cases. However open biopsy has a definite role in selected cases. Of the various causes for enlargement of cervical lymph nodes, tuberculosis has a highest share, followed by other diseases like lymphoma, metastatic carcinoma, etc. We conducted this study to describe the clinicopathological profile of patients presented with cervical lymphadenopathy in the government medical college, kozhikkode. Our study included 100 consecutive cases. Clinical, demographic, cytological and pathlogical features of patients satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria were taken in detail. Statistical analysis was done in R statistical environment. Most of the patients belonged to 21 to 30 age group. Most of the patients belonged to 21 to 30 age group. Sixty percent in our study presented with fever. Moreover in young age group tuberculosis forms the commonest cause and in older age group metastasis from occult primary (9 out of 13 cases).On histopathological examination in doubtful cases or other cases which warranted further excision biopsy, 45 cases of reactive hyperplasia diagnosed with fnac  on biopsy came as tuberculosis (10).In case of tuberculous lymphadenitis, majority showed a unilateral involvement and the most commonly encountered group was upper cervical. Our study has studied about the clinicopathological profile of the patients presented with cerivical lymph nodes. One of the important findings we found was that tuberculosis still continues to be the most common cause. This has wider socioeconomic implications. In our series, tuberculusois constitued the most common cause for cervical  lymphadenopathy on fnac as well as clinically.

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Dr Manjush Edathikudi

Asst. Professor, General Surgery, Govt. Medical College, Kozhikode