Anterior debridement interbody autografting fusion and short segment internal fixation in surgical management of thoracolumbar tuberculosis

Objective To study the clinical outcome in treating the thoracolumbar tuberculosis with debridement,autografting and internal fixation.Methods 32 patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis were treated by anterior debridement of the diseased vertebrae,autografting and short segment internal fixation from Jan 2006 to Nov 2009.There were 19 males and 13 females and age was 18~ 59years old.2 verrtebral bodies involved in 21 cases,3 vertebrnal bodies involved in 11 cases.14 patients had spinal kyphosis deformity with Cobb's angles of the spine were ranged from 10°~ 25°.8 patients had inparaplegia.Results All patients were followed up for 1~4 years(average 2.1 years).Their iession were eliminated completely.The wound healed after surgery.The graft fused 5~7 months after surgery.14 cases with kyphosis was corrected partly,average of 11°.8 patients with inparaplegia recovered to the normal in 8~16 months.Conclusion For patients with thoracolumbar tuberculosis,anterior debridement with autografting and internal fixation appears to be effective in correcting spinal kyphocis,recomstructing the stability of spine.