• Li-Xin Guo, Yuan-Zheng Ma, Xing Chen, Da Bao, and Xiao-Bo Luo.
• Department of Orthopaedics, 309th Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100091, China. glx-tb@tom.com
• Zhongguo Gu Shang. 2010 Jul 1;23(7):491-4.

ObjectiveTo investigate clinical outcome of short-course chemotherapy in retreating spinal tuberculosis after radical operation.MethodsForty-six retreating patients with spinal tuberculosis were included in this series, 29 males, 17 females with the age from 27 to 61 years (average of 43.7 years). All patients were treated with radical operation and short-course anti-tuberculous chemotherapy from March 2005 to March 2008. The tuberculous focus located thoracic spine in 17 cases, thoracic-lumbar in 13 and lumbosacral vertebrae in 16 cases. Of them, 5 cases had sinuses of tuberculosis and 7 cases had incomplete palsy in lower limbs (Frankel C-D). CT or MRI showed obvious sequestra, cold abscess within spinal focus. Surgical procedures including debridement, auto-bone grafting, and one-stage internal fixation, was performed at the 4 to 6 weeks after chemotherapy. Chemotherapy regimes were 3HRZ/6-9HRE in majority of patients. Clinical effect and focus healing were evaluated at follow-up period.ResultsTuberculous symptoms and local pain of vertebral volume were obvious in all patients before chemotherapy,with average ESR 65.3 mm/h and average CRP 37.4 mg/L. After 4-6 weeks chemotherapy, tuberculosis symptoms and vertebral pain improved in all patients, and the average ESR decreased to 38.3 mm/1h, the average CRP decreased to 17.2 mg/L. Two to three months after operation, tuberculous symptoms and local pain relived in all patients,ESR and CRP became normal in 37 cases. Six to twelve months after operation, bonegraft complex in each patient became stable and there were no instrument loosening or deformity correction loss. Six patients with incomplete palsy recovered and 1 case improved from Frankel C to D grade. Focus healing was achieved in 44 cases (95.7%) after short-course chemotherapy (3HRZ/6-9HRE), and there were no resurgence in 2 to 4 years follow-up period. Drug fast 2 cases for RFP+INH cured at the 15 months after chemotherapy.ConclusionsRemoved tubercular focus for the treatment of retreating spinal tuberculosis can improve clinical effect and shorten chemotherapy course.

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