title: Dorsolumbar junction spinal tuberculosis in an infant: case report.
abstract: The treatment of spinal tuberculosis is a challenging and controversial problem. The authors present the rare case of an 8-month-old infant with dorsolumbar junction tuberculosis. The child did not sit or stand and a hump was noted on his back. Radiological evaluations demonstrated destruction by a tuberculous abscess of the T-12 and L-1 vertebral bodies, extending into the psoas muscles and spinal canal. In addition to medical therapy, radical debridement and grafting were performed via an anterolateral approach. The follow-up period was 2 years. The difficulties in the management of spinal tuberculosis in infants are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. tufankadir@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tufan
authors.forename: Fikret
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dogulu
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kardes
authors.forename: Namik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oztanir
authors.forename: M Kemali
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Baykaner
mesh_terms: D016025:Bone Transplantation; D003646:Debridement; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*