Other

SURGICAL TREATMENT OF SPINE TUBERCULOSIS THROUGH ANTERIOR APPROACH

  • Z. B. Milinkovic
  • M. S. Filipovic
  • M. Milenkovic

J Turk Spinal Surg 1990;1(2):86-88

From 1978 to 1988, 106 patients with spine tuberculosis were operated through anterior approach. Mean age of the patients was 39, with 38% of patients in the age group between 51-60. Preoperative neurological deficit was present in 22% of patients. TBC process was located in cervical (2%), thoracic (67%), thoracolumbal (15%), lumbal (15%) and lumbosacral (2%), thoracic (67%), thoracolumbal (15%), lumbal (15%) and lumbosacral region (1%). In 40% of cases kyphosis ranged between 21-40% and in 14% between 41-60%. Cold abscess was found in 52% of cases. Surgery consisted of wide anterior approach an excision of the focus and cold absces, decompresion of spine canal with removal of bone sequester and solid interbody fusion only with autogenous graft (rib autograft 40%, iliac crest 34%, vascularized pedicle rib 16%, fibula 10%).

The authors believe that anterior approach offers several advantages: wide exposure of the lession, excellent possibilities for decompresion and adequate and solid body fusion by autografts. With this approach and tuberculostatics the duration of treatment is significantly shortened.

Keywords: Spine tuberculosis, anterior approach, surgical treatment.