title: Pott's disease of the cervical spine.
abstract: Tuberculosis of the cervical spine is relatively rare, and the diagnosis is often delayed. Roentgenograms and computerized tomography of the cervical spine can provide important diagnostic clues. Chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, but when neurologic deficits are present the best treatment is debridement and anterior spinal fusion combined with antituberculous chemotherapy. The incidence of tuberculosis is increasing in parallel with the growing numbers of immunocompromised patients. Awareness of the manifestations of cervical Pott's disease may lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of affected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Slater
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Beale
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bullitt
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents