Personal experience in posterior spinal fixation approach for patients with spinal tuberculosis

ABSTRACT

This study consisted of 20 consecutive patients of spinal tuberculosis treated in the period from January 1993 till October 1996. 12 patients were males and 8 were females. The age of presentation ranged from 34 to 72 years with mean age 46 years. The clinical presentation included persistent mid- or low back pain and tenderness in 20 patients, paraparesis in 9 and kyphosis in 12. All patients were treated by antituberculous chemotherapy together with posterior approach. The mean follow-up period was 24 months [range 12-36 months]. All patients showed clinical and radiological evidence of fusion. 7 patients had improvement in motor power and 12 in the angle of kyphosis. There was 91% initial correction and 79% final correction of kyphosis. With chemotherapy, posterior approach provide satisfactory results in selected patients of spinal tuberculosis to achieve treatment goals including correction and maintaining correction of spinal deformity