| STUDY DESIGN:A retrospective study to analyze the clinical outcome of spinal tuberculosis (TB) treated with anterior debridement and spinal fusion.OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the efficacy of treatment results in patients with anterior surgical treatment of spinal TB at thoracic and lumbar region.METHODS:21cases of active tuberculosis of the spine were diagnosed and treated between January2006and June2011. Among them,11were males and10females with the mean age56.6(range23to81), of which13patients were diagnosed with L-TB,7with T-TB and1with TL-TB. All the patients received a short course of anti-TB combination drug therapy for a minimum of2weeks pre-operatively and underwent anterior radical debridement/+auto grafting (with or without titanium mesh cage)+internal fixations. Patients were evaluated both before and after based on radiological findings, blood parameters, kyphotic angles and Frankel grading system.RESULTS:All the patients had obvious relief of the pain and hematological parameter ESR became normal from42.4±27.5mm/hr pre-operatively to17.5±11.8mm/hr within3.2months after surgery. Pre-operative kyphotic angle was16.8°±11.2which was corrected to13.2°±9.9after the surgery and to the recent follow-up14.7°±9.8.14patients were included in Frankel grading B, C and D, of which13patients improved by1or2grades. Solid bony fusion was seen in all cases at8-12months. No reoccurrence of the infection, graft related problems, neurological deterioration, progression of kyphosis and wound infections were encountered.CONCLUSION:Our results demonstrate that anterior radical debridement, auto graft and anterior instrumentation is an effective technique for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis. |
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