Purpose: There are few articles in the literature comparing outcomes between anterior and posterior instrumentation in the management of thoracic and lumbar spinal tuberculosis (TB).
Methods: Between January 2004 and December 2009, 217 adult patients, average age 39 (range 16-67) years with thoracic and lumbar spinal TB were treated by anterior radical debridement and fusion plus instrumentation, anterior radical debridement with fusion and posterior fusion with instrumentation, posterolateral debridement and fusion plus posterior instrumentation or transpedicular debridement and posterior fusion with instrumentation in a single- or two-stage procedure. We followed up 165 patients for 22-72 (mean 37) months. Of these, 138 underwent more than three weeks chemotherapy with isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol, and the remaining 27 underwent operation for neurological impairment within six to 18 hours of the same chemotherapy regimen. In no case did relapse occur. Apart from eight patients with skip lesions treated by hybrid anterior and posterior instrumentation, anterior instrumentation was used in 74 patients (group A) and 83 patients (group B) were fixed posteriorly.
Results: In both groups, local symptoms were relieved significantly one to three weeks postoperatively; ten of 14 patients (71%) in group A and 14 of 19 (74%) in group B with neurological deficit had excellent or good clinical results (P > 0.05). Erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR) returned from 43.6 mm/h and 42.7 mm/h, respectively, preoperatively to normal levels eight to 12 weeks postoperatively. Kyphosis degree was corrected by a mean of 11.5° in group A and 12.6° in group B, respectively (P < 0.01). Correction loss was 6.8° in group A and 6.1° in group B at the last follow-up (P < 0.01). Fusion rates of the grafting bone were 92.5% and 91.8%, respectively, at final follow-up (P > 0.05). Severe complications did not occur.
Conclusion: These results suggest that both anterior and posterior instrumentation attain good results for correction of the deformity and maintaining correction, foci clearance, spinal-cord decompression and pain relief in the treatment of thoracic and lumbar spinal TB providing that the operative indication is accurately identified. However, the posterior approach may be superior to anterior instrumentation to correct deformity and maintain that correction.