Spinal tuberculosis in western mexico, 2008-2013

Abstract

Objective: To identify the prevalence, clinical features and postoperative outcome of patients with spinal tuberculosis at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, in Jalisco, Mexico from 2008 to 2013. Methods: Prevalence study of patients undergoing spine surgery due to tuberculosis. Clinical, surgical pre-and postoperative parameters were evaluated by analysis of 41 medical records.Results: Seventeen (41.4%) were women and 24 (58.6%) were men with a mean age of 47.7 years. The main diagnoses were tuberculous spondylitis in 14 (34.1%) patients; discitis in 13 (31.7%); infectious spondylitis in 9 (21.9%); chronic spondylitis in four (9.7%); abscess in one patient (2.4%). Only 22% of patients were positive for epidemiological study of tuberculosis contacts. The most affected region was the lumbar spine followed by the thoracic spine and the most affected vertebrae were L3-L4. The most used surgical instrumentation was by posterior approach with drainage on 29 occasions, anterior approach with drainage in nine, and the mixed approach in three. Twenty-nine patients were independent to perform daily activities after discharge.Conclusion: The discitis or infectious spondylodiscitis should be considered in any patient with localized pain at any level of the spine. Once solved the problem of infection and stability, patients respond favorably to the surgical procedure.

Diagnostic Challenges in Patients with Osteoarticular Tuberculosis in Mexico: Case Series

“…Conversely, although tuberculosis is considered a more frequent infection in adults over 50 years of age, osteoarticular tuberculosis reports show a greater predisposition in young people. 10,[21][22][23] In this series, 15 patients (45.5%) were between 30 and 49 years, with another peak of 7 patients (27%) after 60 years, demonstrating that osteoarticular disease is more frequent in young adults and is consistent with previous findings.…”

“…Osteoarticular tuberculosis affects the spinal joints most frequently, more than 50% of the time, but it can also occur in the pelvis, femur, hip, and tibia. [24][25][26] In this study, damage to the load-bearing joints occurred in 93% of cases, affecting the spine in 28 patients (84%) and the hip in 3 more (9%).…”