The Extended Posterior Circumferential Decompression Technique in the Management of Tubercular Spondylitis with and without Paraplegia

• Main Authors: Barani Rathinavelu, Justin Arockiaraj, Venkatesh Krishnan, Rohit Amritanand, Gabriel David Sundararaj
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Spine Society 2014-12-01
• Series: Asian Spine Journal
• Subjects: Extended posterior approach; Circumferential spinal canal decompression; Kyphosis correction; Interbody fusion; Neurological recovery
• Online Access: http://www.asianspinejournal.org/upload/pdf/asj-8-711.pdf

Study DesignRetrospective clinical series.PurposeTo study the clinical, functional and radiological results of patients with tuberculous spondylitis with and without paraplegia, treated surgically using the "Extended Posterior Circumferential Decompression (EPCD)" technique.Overview of LiteratureWith the increasing possibility of addressing all three columns by a single approach, posterior and posterolateral approaches are gaining acceptance. A single exposure for cases with neurological deficit and kyphotic deformity requiring circumferential decompression, anterior column reconstruction and posterior instrumentation is helpful.MethodsForty-one patients with dorsal/dorsolumbar/lumbar tubercular spondylitis who were operated using the EPCD approach between 2006 to 2009 were included. Postoperatively, patients were started on nine-month anti-tuberculous treatment. They were serially followed up to thirty-six months and both clinical measures (including pain, neurological status and ambulatory status) and radiological measures (including kyphotic angle correction, loss of correction and healing status) were used for assessment.ResultsDisease-healing with bony fusion (interbody fusion) was seen in 97.5% of cases. Average deformity (kyphosis) correction was 54.6% in dorsal spine and 207.3% in lumbar spine. Corresponding loss of correction was 3.6 degrees in dorsal spine and 1.9 degrees in the lumbar spine. Neurological recovery in Frankel B and C paraplegia was 85.7% and 62.5%, respectively.ConclusionsThe EPCD approach permits all the advantages of a single or dual session anterior and posterior surgery, with significant benefits in terms of decreased operative time, reduced hospital stay and better kyphotic angle correction.