Diagnosis and management of intraspinal tuberculoma with osseous involvement: a case report

Intraspinal tuberculoma is rare and challenging situation, which results in serious neurological dysfunctions.

This case report shows an intraspinal tuberculoma with osseous involvement in a 31-year-old male patient with subacute progressing neurologic deficit. His medical history included tuberculosis of pulmonary and intestinal 8 years previously, at which time he had been treated with intestinal obstruction operation and antituberculosis treatment. A quadruple antituberculosis treatment was carried out after admission; however, his neurological condition was steadily worsening. He underwent debulking of mass for decompression and pathological analysis revealed intraspinal tuberculoma. The patient was prescribed a 12-month course of antituberculosis therapy, and a good clinical outcome was obtained subsequently.

This case was treated by microsurgical resection and antituberculosis therapy, and the outcome was favourable.

Intraspinal tuberculoma should be considered when an intraspinal mass is found with a history of tuberculosis, it can be effectively diagnosed by MRI and treated by the combination of medical and surgical treatments.