TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LOWER CERVICAL-SPINE (C3-C7) IN ADULTS - DIAGNOSTIC AND SURGICAL ASPECTS

Authors
Citation
Pm. Loembe, TUBERCULOSIS OF THE LOWER CERVICAL-SPINE (C3-C7) IN ADULTS - DIAGNOSTIC AND SURGICAL ASPECTS, Acta neurochirurgica, 131(1-2), 1994, pp. 125-129
Citations number
21
Categorie Soggetti
Surgery,Neurosciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00016268
Volume
131
Issue
1-2
Year of publication
1994
Pages
125 - 129
Database
ISI
SICI code
0001-6268(1994)131:1-2<125:TOTLC(>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
From 1976 to 1992, 160 cases of tuberculosis of the spine were treated at Jeanne Ebori Medical Center (Gabon); among whom 10 were localized to the lower cervical spine (C3-C7). From those 10 cases, 5 concerned children and had a medical treatment, whereas the remaining 5 cases co ncerned adults and underwent surgery (anterior approach), following an initial three-weeks course of antituberculous therapy. Prominent feat ures of the disease in the 5 adult cases included neck pain and stiffn ess, neurological deficits and osteolytic erosions with myelographic b lock. The mean length of follow-up was 32 months (range: 8 to 96 month s). All five patients improved their cord function and had a satisfact ory bony consolidation. Socio-economic difficulties explain the necess ity of reducing the treatment length by favoring surgical intervention in relatively advanced lesions.