[Primary anterior internal fixation for the surgical management of thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis].
OBJECTIVE
To discuss the effect of primary anterior debridement, interbody autografting, and anterior internal fixation on the surgical management of thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis.


METHODS
Ninety-one cases of thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis were treated with primary anterior debridement, interbody autografting, and anterior internal fixation.


RESULTS
All cases were treated without any recurrence after follow-up for an average of 13 months. Spinal fusion occurred in 3.7 months on average with 20 degree of kyphosis correction achieved after surgery and 95.5% of the patients obtained good results.


CONCLUSIONS
Primary anterior debridement, interbody autografting, and anterior internal fixation for the surgical management of thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis are safe and effective and play an important role in reconstruction of spinal stability.
Lu
Chang
C
Department of Spine Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Liu
Wei-dong
WD
Ma
Ze-min
ZM
D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000601:surgery*