Anterior plating for lower cervical spine tuberculosis.

Area of Science:

• Spine Surgery
• Infectious Disease Management
• Orthopedic Oncology

Background:

• Tuberculosis of the lower cervical spine can cause severe neurological deficits and spinal deformity.
• Traditional treatments may have limitations in addressing both infection and deformity simultaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of anterior debridement, fusion, and H-plate fixation for treating lower cervical spine tuberculosis.
• To assess neurological recovery and correction of kyphotic deformity after surgical intervention.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 16 patients with lower cervical spine tuberculosis underwent anterior debridement, fusion, and H-plate fixation.
• Patients were followed for an average of 38 months to assess outcomes.

Main Results:

• All patients achieved bony fusion with no increase in neurological deficits.
• 12 out of 14 patients with neurological symptoms experienced complete recovery, and 2 showed marked improvement.
• Kyphosis improved significantly, from an average of 21.6 degrees preoperatively to 2.5 degrees postoperatively.

Conclusions:

• Anterior debridement, fusion, and H-plate fixation is a safe and effective treatment for lower cervical spine tuberculosis.
• This anterior approach offers superior correction of kyphotic deformity compared to other methods.
• The procedure leads to substantial neurological recovery and solid bony fusion.