title: Management of Spine Tuberculosis With Chemotherapy and Percutaneous Pedicle Screws in Adjacent Vertebrae: A Retrospective Study of 34 Cases.
abstract: METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of local chemotherapy combined with percutaneous pedicle screw in adjacent vertebra in the treatment of spine tuberculosis (TB).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Despite the increased treatment concepts and surgical methods, the management of TB, which is increasing in prevalence, remains challenging. Considerable complications existing in the conventional debridement surgery with TB spondylitis requires more attention.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective evaluation containing 34 cases of spinal TB (17 males, 17 females; average age 59 years; 14 thoracic TB, 11 thoracolumbar TB, nine lumbar TB) between April 2007 and August 2014 was conducted. All patients were treated with local chemotherapy combined with percutaneous pedicle screw in adjacent vertebrae. The ASIA grade, the Cobb angle, and complications were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were followed with an average of 18 (range, 12-52) months and were successfully treated without radiculopathy or neurological complications, with 27 excellent and seven fair outcomes at the final follow-up. One case that developed serious abscess in the primary focus underwent anterior focus debridement and bone graft fusion and recovered to the grade of fine at the final following up. As for kyphotic deformity, there was no Cobb angle loss. No other obvious complications were observed in all the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Local chemotherapy combined with percutaneous pedicle screw in adjacent vertebrae seems an effective method to treat spine TB, with some advantages including smaller trauma, fine neurologic recovery, few complications, and no Cobb angle loss.
  
  
  METHODS
  3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital & Medical Center, Tsinghua University, China.
authors.forename: Huadong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital & Medical Center, Tsinghua University, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Ningdao
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xifeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065289:Pedicle Screws; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery*; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*