Staged treatment of thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis with flow injection abscess

The study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of posterior-only approach combining with puncture drainage under CT-guide in staged treatment of thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis with flow injection abscess. We retrospectively analyzed 15 patients (came from 72 cases with thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis) with flow injection abscesses underwent surgery from January 2007 to February 2009, and evaluated the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scoring system of nerve function, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), abscess absorption time and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), preoperatively and postoperatively. 15 patients were followed up for 13-37 months, no recurrence of tuberculosis, no fixation loosening and neurologic symptoms aggravated. The flow injection abscesses are absorbed within 3-6 months postoperative operation. In final follow-up, ESR went down to 5.2±2.1 mm/h from preoperative 79.6±14.8 mm/h, CRP decreased from preoperative 49.3±7.5 mg/L to 1.8±0.7 mg/L, ODI changed from 75.13±20.15 to 16.72±8.62, all of them changed significantly (P<0.05). In conclusions, one-stage posterior debridement, interbody fusion, pedicle screw fixation and two-stage CT-guided interventional therapy were safe and effective in treatment of the thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis with flow injection abscess.