In female genital tuberculosis, although the ovary lies directly adjacent to the heavily diseased fallopian tube, ovarian parenchymal involvement remains uncommon. The anatomical reason for this sparing is:

• A Absence of lymphatic drainage between tube and ovary
• B High oxygen tension in ovarian tissue inhibiting mycobacterial growth
• C Thick tunica albuginea resisting invasion of the ovarian cortex ✓
• D Continuous shedding of the germinal epithelium carrying away organisms

Explanation

Tuberculosis reaches the ovary mainly by direct surface spread from the infected tube, yet the dense fibrous tunica albuginea acts as a physical barrier that prevents invasion of the cortex. Consequently the ovary is usually only encased in adhesions or involved as a perioophoritis, and a true ovarian abscess is rare. Oxygen tension and germinal epithelial turnover play no protective role, and lymphatics are irrelevant to this contiguity-based spread.

Reference: Shaw's Textbook of Gynaecology, 17th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.