title: [Primary anterior internal fixation for the surgical management of thoracolumbar spinal tuberculosis].
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Spine Surgery, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wei-dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ze-min
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: 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*