[Neurologic findings and surgical treatment results in spinal tuberculosis]

ABSTRACT

Spinal TB [Pott's disease] is one of the important and common types of TB. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of neurological findings and result of surgical treatment in patients with Pott's disease in Mashhad Ghaem Hospital during 1994-2004. In this cross-sectional descriptive retrospective study c 32 patients with Pott's disease, referred to Ghaem Hospital during the years 1994-2004, were studied. Data were analyzed using chi2 test and frequnency distribution tables. The mean age of patients was 42.5 years old, with the highest prevalence in the range of 50-59. There was no significant difference between male and female sexes in patients. The most common chief complaint was weakness of lower limb presented in 75%; most patients had lower limb weakness of 2/5, 3/5 Kyphosis was seen in 3/1%, collapse in 62.5%, kyphosis with collapse in 25%. There was no structural problem in 9.4%. Involvement of thoracic vertebrae 9-10 was the most common. 50% of patients had urinary sphincter dysfunction and 40.6% had no problem in urinary sphincter. The mean of the follow up period was 7.4 years. Among all of our 32 patients 8 cases [25%] received only medical treatment; and 24 cases [75%] had combined medical and surgical treatment. The most surgical procedure used was vertebral fusion without device. Medical treatment for at least 9 months combined with surgery [if needed] and proper follow up results in approximately total improvement in patients with spinal tuberculosis