title: [Pott disease: current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches].
abstract: Spinal tuberculosis, or Pott's disease, has been known since ancient times; it was a common orthopaedic illness until 1950, but the progress of specific therapies confined it to third word countries; its resurgency in recent years in developed countries is due to drug resistance, immigration from endemic areas, and an increase in immunodeficient patients. Spinal disease is found in about 1% of all tuberculosis cases. Modern treatment consists of a diagnostic phase, based on clinical findings and imaging exams, and of a medical and surgical therapy. Our patients have been treated with a three antibiotic drugs scheme, and underwent early surgical treatment, in order to assure the curettage of the lesion and obtain spine stabilization, so as to avoid spinal deformity.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Ortopedica, Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Roma, Italia. omazza@tiscalinet.it
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mazza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Logroscino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pola
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Aulisa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mastantuoni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aulisa
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*