Surgical treatment of L5S1 tuberculosis by debridement, fusion and internal fixation via a medial edge of rectus abdomi-nal muscle and retroperitoneal approach / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and indication of surgical treatment of L5S1 tuberculosis us?ing a medial edge of rectus abdominal muscle and retroperitoneal approach. Methods From Jan. 2010 to Nov. 2014, totally 18 cases of L5S1 tuberculosis were surgically cured by debridement, fusion and internal fixation via a medial edge of rectus ab?dominal muscle and retroperitoneal approach. There were 10 males and 8 females, with an average age of 35.6±10.1 years (21 to 55). The mean course of disease was 5.3±2.2 months. The primary destruction lesions were located at L5S1, and one patient of whom L4 was also involved, three cases S2 involved, and one S3 involved. Abscess pre sacrum was noticed in all cases. Six patients were combined with abscess in vertebral canal. Neural deficiency was detected in 3 patients, all grading as Frankel D. Dubousset's lumbosacral angle was 104°-126°, mean 114.6°±6.0°. Formal anti?tuberculosis medicine treatment was given for at least 2-3 weeks. All patients were treated using a medial edge of rectus abdominal muscle and retroperitoneal approach. Af?ter debridement, a tri?cortical iliac bone was used for structural inter?vertebrae fusion. The iliac bone was fixed to the sacrum by one cortical screw. Operation time, volume of blood loss, and surgery complications, including wound infection, looseness and shift of internal fixation, sinus occurrence, vascular injury, retrograde ejaculation in male patients were evaluated. The X?ray and 3D CT of lumbosacral spine, together with ESR and CRP were used to evaluate the control of tuberculosis during fol?low?up. The Dubousset's lumbosacral angle, visual analogue score, and the Frankel grade were compared between preoperative and postoperative. The bone graft fusion were also observed. Results The operation time was 147±16 min in average. The mean blood lose was 275 ± 77 ml. No vascular or neurological injury was noticed. There was also no retrograde ejaculation happened in this group. All patients were followed up from 18 to 28 months. Dubousset's lumbosacral angle was 122.4°±3.8° post?operatively and 121.4°±3.7° at the final follow?up. There was a significant difference between the lumbosacral angles pre and post operation, whereas no statistical difference between the post operation and the final follow?up. Bone fusion was noticed in all cases. All pa? tients have intact neurological function at the final follow?up. No screw breakage or graft bone migration occurred. VAS was 5.6± 1.09 pre?operation and 0.83±0.71 at the 3rd month's follow?up, and there was a significant difference between them. Conclusion Surgical treatment of L5S1 tuberculosis by debridement, fusion and internal fixation via a medial edge of rectus abdominal muscle and retroperitoneal approach is an effective method in terms of minimal trauma, low rate of modality, good ability in restore and maintenance of lumbosacral junction alignment and high fusion rate.