[Combined anterior and posterior surgeries for lumbarsacral junction tuberculosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the advantage and indication of combined anterior and posterior surgeries for lumbarsacral junction tuberculosis. METHODS: Eleven cases of the lumbarsacral junction tuberculosis were treated with combined anterior (radical debridement and autograft) and posterior (instrumentation and fusion) surgeries in one stage between January 2002 and December 2006. There were 9 males and 2 females with the age of 20-56 years old. The course of disease was 4 to 15 months, 6 months on average. The lessons were located at L5, S1 in 7 patients, at L4,5, S1 in 2 patients and at L5, S2 in 2 patients. The involved vertebral bodies were at 2 segments in 7 patients; and 3 segments in 5 patients. The preoperative kyphosis was 5 to 8 degrees with an average 9 degrees. The sinus was associated in 3 patients, 3 patients had radiculopathy; 4 had paeumonophthisis and 9 had abscess. RESULTS: The followed-up period was from 6 months to 3 years, 18 months on average. According to Chen score, among the 11 cases, there were excellent in 9, good in 2. All incisions were healed up primarily. After operation, spinal fusion was achieved in 10 cases within 5 months to 7 months, 6 months on average, and pseudoarthrosis in 1 case was found by the CT examination. The postoperative kyphosis was 0 to 4 degrees with the mean of 2 degrees and the radiculopathy in 3 cases all got nerve function recovery. CONCLUSION: Lumbarsacral junction tuberculosis treated with this surgical technique can achieve a high satisfactory rate with restoring the spinal stability, arresting the disease early, providing early fusion, correcting the kyphosis and preventing progression of kyphosis particularly if lumbosacral spine tuberculosis is associated with sinus or preoperative diagnosis cannot exclude suppurative spondylitis.