title: Evaluation of role of anterior debridement and decompression of spinal cord and instrumentation in treatment of tubercular spondylitis.
abstract: METHODS
  Prospective study with simple randomization.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the results of anterior spinal instrumentation, debridement and decompression of cord and compare it with results of a similar procedure done without the use of anterior instrumentation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Use of anterior spinal instrumentation in treatment of tubercular spondylitis is still an infrequently followed modality of treatment and data regarding its usefulness are still emerging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients of tubercular paraplegia with involvement of dorsal and dorso-lumbar vertebrae were operated with anterior spinal cord decompression, autofibular strut grafting with anterior instrumentation in 18 patients and no implant in 14 patients. Results were compared on the basis of improvement in Frankel grade, correction of local kyphosis, decrease in canal compromise and further progression of kyphosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean local kyphosis correction in the immediate postoperative period was 24.1° in the instrumented group and was 6.1° in the non instrumented group. The mean late loss of correction of local kyphosis at 3 years follow-up was 1.7° in the instrumented and 6.7° in the non instrumented group. The mean improvement in canal compression was 39.5% in the instrumented group and 34.8% in the non instrumented group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In treatment of tubercular spondylitis by anterior debridement and decompression of the spinal cord and autofibular strut grafting, the use of instrumentation has no relation with the improvement in neurological status, however the correction of local kyphosis and prevention of further progression of local kyphosis was better with the use anterior spinal instrumentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India.
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumaraswamy
authors.forename: Nitin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Shyam Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Saraf
authors.forename: Ghanshyam Narayan
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Khare