Spinal tuberculosis--the commonest cause of non-traumatic paraplegia in Papua New Guinea.
A retrospective study was undertaken of 53 cases of non-traumatic paraplegia admitted to two major hospitals in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from 1975-1982; 19 of these cases were examined. The mean age of the patients was 29 years (range: 2-70 years). Spinal tuberculosis was the commonest cause of paraplegia (83%), followed by neoplasia (7.5%). Two cases of chronic idiopathic arachnoiditis were noted but nutritional myelopathy was not diagnosed. Thirty-one (70%) of the 44 tuberculosis patients responded to treatment and were ambulant at discharge but only 18% were known to have completed 18 months' chemotherapy and 23% defaulted. The introduction of short-term chemotherapy regimens using rifampicin should improve future management of spinal tuberculosis in PNG.
Scrimgeour
E M
EM
Department of Clinical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea.
Kaven
J
J
Gajdusek
D C
DC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy
D000995:Antitubercular Agents