title: Pott's disease of the lower cervical spine in a diabetic patient.
abstract: Over the last few years, tuberculosis has steadily been returning to the worlds attention as a major health threat. The spinal localization of tuberculosis (Pott's Disease) represents around 1% of the case histories, in 3-5% of which there is cervical involvement. Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of infectious disease and predisposes to tuberculosis. Here, a rare case is presented of Pott's disease in the lower cervical spine, associated with retropharyngeal abscess in a diabetic patient. The aim of this study is to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis in such patients, so that adequate pharmacological and/or surgical treatment can be initiated to avoid serious complications.
authors.affiliation: Second University of Naples, Dept of Clinical and Experimental Medicine F. Magrassi, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tirri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vitiello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Martino
mesh_terms: D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017703:Retropharyngeal Abscess / Q000150:complications*; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis