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Congenital spinal tuberculosis associated with asymptomatic endometrial tuberculosis: A rare case report

Ashok Kumar1, Sharda Brata Ghosh, Manish Kumar Varshney

  • 1Department of Orthopaedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi-110 029, India. ashok_k73@rediffmail.com

Joint Bone Spine
|April 9, 2008
PubMed

Insights

This case study details congenital spinal tuberculosis in an infant, diagnosed via imaging and biopsy. Early antitubercular treatment led to symptom improvement and normalized inflammatory markers.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Spinal Surgery

Background:

  • Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a significant subset of musculoskeletal TB.
  • Congenital spinal tuberculosis is rarely documented in medical literature.
  • Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing spinal TB to prevent severe outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the first documented case of congenital spinal tuberculosis originating from asymptomatic maternal endometrial tuberculosis.
  • To highlight the diagnostic methods and treatment outcomes in a pediatric patient with congenital spinal TB.
  • To emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in congenital spinal TB.

Main Methods:

  • Diagnosis was based on clinical presentation (infant gibbus, hepatomegaly), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), D10-D11 vertebral destruction on imaging, and confirmed tuberculous histopathology from a CT-guided biopsy.
  • Maternal endometrial tuberculosis was identified as the source of infection.
  • Both mother and child received antitubercular treatment.

Main Results:

  • The infant showed symptomatic improvement, reduced gibbus prominence, and normalized ESR after one year of treatment.
  • No recurrence was observed during a two-year follow-up period.
  • Maternal endometrial biopsy confirmed tuberculosis, establishing the link to congenital infection.

Conclusions:

  • This case represents the first instance of congenital spinal tuberculosis linked to asymptomatic maternal endometrial tuberculosis.
  • CT-guided biopsies and endometrial biopsies are vital for early diagnosis and establishing the source of congenital TB.
  • Prompt antitubercular treatment is essential for favorable outcomes and may offer protection in future pregnancies.

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