On beginning of calender year 1988, in Ministry of Health Taksim Hospital, in addition anterior radical resection and fusion, posterior stabilization with Harrington rod-sleeve method at the same stage has been performed to three patients which were diagnosed as spine tuberculosis. When choosing theses patients, we paid attention that the cases are being typical ones with no neurological deficit, intact middle and posterior columne but damaged the anterior part of vertebral body.
After one week damaged the anterior part of vertebral body, with corset and followed them 2 years, on three patients fusion was has been formed and clinical and radiological improvement obtained. While deformity corrected on two ones, on the other patients it has been unsuccesful! due to our technical fault.
At the end of this study, we came to the conclusion that:
Surgical treatment of spine tuberculosis affects the improvement rate only 10 percent. Spine tuberculosis must be considered as a burst fracture which causes chronic instability. Instead of patient, surgery must correct deformity and biomechanics of verttebral column, fix the affected area, present excessive loading of graft and facilitate fusion. It must also abolish the need of posterior fusion which is carried out by destroying of intact posterior column. According to us, because of all these reasons, management of spine tuberculosis is anterior radical resection and adding it one of the posterior stabilization methods which are choosed in accordence with the patient status.