Present aspects of vertebral tuberculosis in 16 patients.

We retrospectively studied the epidemiological, clinical, histological and evolutive aspects of vertebral tuberculosis diagnosed in all consecutive pa tients recruited in 2 Parisian hospitals between January 1990 and July 1997 , The diagnosis relied on a vertebral involvement associated with evidence of tuberculosis (culture of local ponction yielded Mycobacterium tuberculos is) or presumption of tuberculosis (evidence of other tuberculous focus, hi stological data, good outcome under specific treatment), Sixteen patients ( mean age: 41 years; sex ratio: 1,29) have been included; thirteen were migr ants. The main symptoms, which appeared within a mean period of 3 months we re vertebral pain (13/16) and alteration of patient's general conditions(8/ 16). RMN imaging showed spondylitis (10/16), spondylodiscitis (4/16) and in volvement of posterior arch (8/16), Inflammatory syndrom was present in 14 cases. The diagnosis of vertebral tuberculosis was confirmed in 12 cases ac cording to the results of culture and/or histological grounds of local ponc tion, The diagnosis of vertebral tuberculosis was presumed in the 4 other c ases according to the isolation of M. tuberculosis from an other site (2 ca ses), the characteristic histological pattern of a lymphadenopathy (1 case) , and a favorable outcome upon specific treatment (1 case). All the patient s were cured without complications with the exception of one patient who de veloped a spinal cord compression.