[Comparison among the surgical approaches to tuberculosis of sacroiliac joint]

Forty-three cases (44 joints) with tuberculosis of sacroiliac joints were treated surgically through 3 approaches: (1) Anterior approach was indicated for the cases with abscess in iliac fossa or with fistula in buttock, in 21 cases (22 joints). (2) Posterior approach was used for the cases with or without abscess and/or fistula of buttock, in 20 cases. (3) Antero-posterior combined approach was adopted for the cases with large abscess and/or fistula both at iliac fossa and buttock, in 2 cases (2 joints). Follow-up, ranging between 6 months and 16 years, presented no recurrent case of tuberculosis. In the cases with bony fusion, the symptoms disappeared altogether postoperatively, while the local pain still remained in the cases without bone grafting. The authors' opinions are as following: In the treatment of tuberculosis of sacroiliac joint, surgical approach should be chosen according to the location and size of abscess and the direction of fistula. Bony fusion is significant for elimination of symptoms.