ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Tuberculosis (TB) is an important infectious disease worldwide. Classical spinal TB has specific radiological findings involving adjacent vertebral bodies with destruction of the intervertebral disc and involvement of paravertebral soft tissues with cold abscess formation. However, a few cases not exhibiting the radiological characteristics of TB spondylitis have been reported. We report a rare case of lumbar spinal TB with atypical clinical and radiological presentations that was difficult to differentiate from a malignant spinal tumor. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 21-year-old man, who had immigrated to Japan from the Philippines 5 years ago, without a significant medical history, presented with back pain lasting 1 month and progression of gait disturbance 2 weeks prior to presentation. DIAGNOSIS: Laboratory tests showed normal blood cell counts and normal value of C-reactive protein levels. Preoperative imaging studies indicated a possible spinal tumor. However, histopathologic findings of the epidural soft tissues at the first surgery led to the diagnosis of spinal mycobacterial infection. The diagnosis of spinal TB was confirmed by a positive culture of Mycobacterium tuberculosis obtained at the second surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Given the progressive nature of neurologic deterioration, instead of needle biopsy, we proceeded with surgical intervention 8 days after admission; simultaneous neural decompression and open biopsy. Histological findings of the excised epidural soft tissues led to the diagnosis of spinal mycobacterial infection. We performed the second surgery involving additional resection of epidural soft tissues for further dural decompression and to obtain specimens for mycobacterial culture. Immediately after the second surgery, the patient commenced combination therapy with anti-tuberculous drugs. OUTCOMES: The patient demonstrated significant recovery of motor function in the lower extremities, and was able to run at 2 months after the second surgery. The epidural granulomas completely disappeared on magnetic resonance imaging 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Atypical clinical and radiological presentations of spinal TB present a challenge for appropriate diagnosis and early treatment. Even in developed countries where there are very few spinal TB patients, clinicians should be aware that spinal TB is an important differential diagnosis, especially in elderly patients or patients coming from countries with a middle-high prevalence of TB.
Subject(s)
Mycobacterium tuberculosis , Spinal Neoplasms , Tuberculosis, Spinal , Humans , Male , Young Adult , Radiography , Spinal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Spinal Neoplasms/surgery , Spine/pathology , Tuberculosis, Spinal/diagnostic imaging , Tuberculosis, Spinal/surgeryABSTRACT
Background: S2 alar-iliac screws (S2AIS) are widely used to anchor the pelvis to a lumbar fusion. Here, we report a patient who experienced repetitive dislodgement of the set screws of the S2AIS following a posterior instrumented fusion. Case Description: A 68-year-old male presented with an L3 metastasis and L2-L3 subluxation attributed to renal cell cancer. Following an L2-L5 posterior decompression and T9-pelvic fusion utilizing bilateral S2AIS fixation, the set screws of the S2AIS repeatedly dislodged, requiring two additional operations. The final surgery required multiple anchors to the ilium and provided adequate fixation until the patient's expiration. Conclusion: The set screw fixing force was weaker than the fixing force of the S2AIS; multiple iliac anchors effectively salvaged this condition.
ABSTRACT
Hypervirulent hypermucoviscous Klebsiella pneumoniae strains have emerged as clinically important pathogens causing invasive infections. K. pneumoniae osteomyelitis is uncommon in adult patients, and may mimic bone tumors on presentation. We report a patient with left rectus femoris muscle abscess and acute osteomyelitis of the left femur due to hypermucoviscous K. pneumoniae with negative blood culture, who was initially thought to have left thigh tumor. The patient's infection resolved with surgical drainage and debridement and intravenous and antibiotic therapy.
ABSTRACT
Vertebral hemangiomas are common benign tumors that are mostly asymptomatic and are discovered incidentally. Only 0.9-1.2% of all vertebral hemangiomas, termed aggressive vertebral hemangiomas, expand to cause pain and neural compression. We present an extremely rare case of a 49-year-old woman who had an aggressive vertebral hemangioma of the thoracic spine that caused rapidly progressive myelopathy with remarkable irregular extraosseous bone proliferation, which mimicked a malignant vertebral tumor. In this case, despite the lesion's hostile appearance during imaging, the pathological diagnosis was benign and symptom-based surgical treatment with posterior decompression and stabilization provided good clinical outcomes during the postoperative 18 months follow-up period. In this case, despite the use of standard imaging modalities (radiograph, CT, and MRI), making a preoperative imaging diagnosis of an aggressive vertebral hemangioma was difficult, and although aggressive vertebral hemangiomas with atypical radiological features are rare, they should be considered as a differential diagnosis.
