Rationale for Operative Treatment of Caries Spine: A Study of Twenty Cases

Abstract

Caries spine is the most common problem presenting in the Orthopaedic outpatient department. Many of the patients have symptoms and signs of neurological involvement by the time they seek specialized medical help. Most of the clinicians begin with a multi drug chemotherapeutic regimen. The response is unpredictable especially in our region where tuberculosis is rampant and known to be showing resistance to drugs. Many case deserve an aggressive approach involving open debridement and drainage. Some cases need bone grafting. This prospective study focuses on the recovery of twenty such cases in which chemotherapeutic treatment was used as adjuvant to operative management. The results were very promising and most of the patients showed adequate recovery form partial or complete paraplegia after review at two and a half years postoperatively.