Tuberculosis of the lower cervical spine (C3-C7) in adults: diagnostic and surgical aspects

Acta Neurochir (Wien). 1994;131(1-2):125-9. doi: 10.1007/BF01401462.

Abstract

From 1976 to 1992, 160 cases of tuberculosis of the spine were treated at Jeanne Ebori Medical Center (Gabon); among whom 10 were localized to the lower cervical spine (C3-C7). From those 10 cases, 5 concerned children and had a medical treatment, whereas the remaining 5 cases concerned adults and underwent surgery (anterior approach), following an initial three-weeks course of antituberculous therapy. Prominent features of the disease in the 5 adult cases included neck pain and stiffness, neurological deficits and osteolytic erosions with myelographic block. The mean length of follow-up was 32 months (range: 8 to 96 months). All five patients improved their cord function and had a satisfactory bony consolidation. Socio-economic difficulties explain the necessity of reducing the treatment length by favoring surgical intervention in relatively advanced lesions.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / administration & dosage
  • Cervical Vertebrae / surgery*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myelography
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis
  • Spinal Cord Compression / diagnosis
  • Spinal Cord Compression / surgery
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / diagnosis
  • Spinal Osteophytosis / surgery
  • Tuberculosis, Spinal / diagnosis
  • Tuberculosis, Spinal / surgery*

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents