Asian Spine J.  2013 Sep;7(3):222-226. 10.4184/asj.2013.7.3.222.

Tuberculosis Affecting Multiple Vertebral Bodies

• Baba H
• Tagami A
• Adachi S
• Hiura T
• Osaki M

• KMID: 2270436
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4184/asj.2013.7.3.222

Abstract

Spinal tuberculosis usually occurs in a single vertebral body or two to three adjacent vertebrae; it rarely occurs in multiple vertebral bodies. Surgery is indicated in cases that do not improve with conservative therapy, or when paralysis is evident. Two cases regarding patients with spinal tuberculosis in multiple vertebral bodies on whom surgery was performed are reported. Case 1, the patient was a 77-year-old woman with spinal tuberculosis in four vertebral bodies from the lower thoracic to the lumbar spine. As she had pronounced lower back pain, posterolateral fusion with a pedicle screw was performed. Case 2, the patient was a 29-year-old Indonesian man with spinal tuberculosis in 17 vertebral bodies of the spine who was unable to stand due to paralysis of both legs, thus posterolateral fusion with a pedicle screw was performed. Good results were obtained from tuberculostatic drug therapy and surgical instrumentation.

Keyword

Spinal tuberculosis; Instrumentation; Antitubercular agents

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Antitubercular Agents
Female
Humans
Low Back Pain
male
Paraplegia
Spine
Surgical Instruments
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, Spinal
Antitubercular Agents