A complex surgery of spinal tuberculosis with a psoas abscess accompanied by fibula autografting: an alternative treatment of Pott’s disease

Abstract

Abstract The most common manifestation of skeletal tuberculosis is tuberculosis spondylitis. Symptoms may progress insidiously from back pain to cause many severe complications. Early diagnosis and management of spinal tuberculosis have special importance in prevention. We report a case of a 24-year-old female who was diagnosed with tuberculous spondylitis, complicated with psoas abscess and grade 1/5 of lower limb weakness. The patient was treated with anti-tuberculous drugs and underwent surgical debridement, interbody fusion and internal fixation accompanied by fibular autografting using a posterior-only approach and supplemental posterior spinal stabilisation on an infected background. Within 14 years of follow-up, full bone graft spinal fusion has been achieved with no major complications. According to its clinical efficacy and feasibility, this procedure is suggested to be an alternative treatment for Pott’s disease.