[Tuberculous spondylodiskitis (Pott's disease): Experience in a general hospital]

Pott's disease (PD) is an uncommon extra-pulmonary form of tuberculosis. Dissimilar data about location, diagnosis and treatment from various hospitals and different countries are reported.

We present our experience with Pott's disease at our institution between January 1993 to December 1999, retrospectively, based on clinical bacteriological and pathological research. We found the medical records of 14 patients diagnosed as having PD at our hospital. The following information was obtained: age, sex, symptoms and sings at presentation, PPD tuberculin skin test, imaging techniques, mycobacterium cultures and smear, histopathologic study, treatment and clinical outcome.

The number of microbiological diagnosed tuberculosis during the study period was of 1,400 (4 cases per 1,000 admissions). From them, 1,047 cases (74.8%) were pulmonary and 353 cases (25.2%) extra-pulmonary. We found the medical records of 14 patients diagnosed as having PD at our hospital. There was a diagnostic delay between 2 and 720 days. In 5 cases, cultures were positive (1.4% extra-pulmonary). The following information was obtained: age, sex, symptoms and signs at presentation, PPD tuberculin skin test, imaging techniques, mycobacterium cultures and smear, histopathologic study, treatment and clinical outcome. The mean age of the patients was 58 years. Pain and dorsal location were more frequent (8/14). In 6 cases, tuberculosis was diagnosed at other sites. Tuberculin skin test was positive in 7 ases (50%). The diagnosis was confirmed by positive cultures from biopsies in 5 from 8 cases performed and the histology was compatible in 8 from 11 cases performed. Diskitis was presented in 10 cases, soft tissue abscess in 9 cases (psoas abscess in 2); epidural compression in 9 cases and surgery was necessary in 9 cases (diagnostic in 3).

Pott's disease is a rare entity even among HIV-patients in whom extrapulmonar disease has increased. Dorsal location, diskitis and advanced forms of the disease that deserve surgical treatment are frequent.