OBJECTIVE: to present our experience on the surgical treatment of spinal tuberculosis and to compare our data to the recent literature. METHODS: a retrospective evaluation of patients who underwent surgical procedure to treat the disease was done. We analyzed the type of surgery, neurological status and angle of kyphosis before the surgery and after twelve months. The neurological status was determined by the Frankel scale modified by ASIA. The kyphotic deformity was measured using the Cobb method. We identified 23 patients with confirmed diagnosis of tuberculosis of the spine. Thirteen individuals in this group were operated. Three patients were excluded and ten participated in the study. RESULTS: most of the patients underwent decompression, anterior and/or posterior fusion by combined or posterior approach. Six patients presented neurological deficit at the time of diagnosis. Two of these six were children and presented with Pott's disease on admission. Three patients presented complete recovery of the motor function of their legs. One patient had neurological status aggravated after the surgery due to bacterial resistance at the administration of four different drugs and to tuberculous meningitis. Regarding to the kyphosis, the mean focal kyphotic angle in the beginning of the follow up was 26,7º (0º to 90º) and 21,2º (0º to 50º) at the end of the study. The mean regional kyphotic angle was 24,10º (-27º to +60º) in the beginning and 21º(-33º to +65º) at the end of the follow-up. There was a decrease of the mean focal and regional kyphosis of 5,7º and 3,1º, respectively. We did not observe important kyphotic angle increase in any operated patient at the end of the study. CONCLUSION: The surgical treatment was efficient to prevent kyphosis progression. The neurological deficit associated with spinal tuberculosis was critical in children.
Tuberculosis; osteoarticular; Neurologic manifestations; Kyphosis
