Transthoracic Focal Debridement and Anterolateral Decompression of Spinal Cord for Thoracic TB Spine Complicated with Paraplegia in Children

Paraplegia is one of the serious complications of TB spine in children.At present,most orthopaedists still adopted traditional anterolateral decompression of spinal cord through costotransversectomy on such patients and the results have been satisfactory.42 patients with thoracic TB spine complicated with paraplegia were treated in the period from 1959 to 1983 by transthoracic focal debridement and anterolateral decompression and 88% of them recovered from paraplegia.An analysis of the clinical findings showed that paraplegia in children was characterized not only by disturbances in motion and feeling but also by dysfunction of sphincter muscle.Postoperative recovery from paraplegia depends on the changes in the spinal cord and is also related to the characteristics of compressive mass on dura.If the operation is,indicated with adeq a te preoperative preparation and proper intensivecare of respiratory passage after operation,the transthoracic approach is well acceptable and tolerable.