Resectable range of anterior partial vertebrectomy for spinal tuberculosis

    YANG Weiª²Yu, WANG Ziª²Li, QIAO Yongª²Dong, DING Huiª²Qiang, ZHAO Haoª²Ning, GE Zhaoª²Hui

    Department of Orthopedics, General Hospital of Ningxia Coal Industry Group,Shizuishan 753000, China, Department of Orthopedics, Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical College, Yinchuan 750004, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To observe the distribution of tubercular infectious focus in diseased vertebral body for providing theoretic evidence to partial vertebrectomy of vertebral body with spinal tuberculosis. METHODS: Twenty pationts with spinal tuberculosis were treated by anterior partial vertebrectomy of the diseased vertebrae, iliac grafting and internal fixation via anterior of posterior approach. Using MMA embedding, undecalcified bone sections and toluidine blue staining, the distribution of infectious focus in diseased vertebral body was observed, then the confines of resectable bone in partial vertebrectomy were obtained by statistic methods.RESULTS: The distance from the bigger tubercular infectious focus to the smaller is 2.5 mm to 4 mm. CONCLUSION: The partial vertebrectomy of vertebral body with spinal tuberculosis should involve all the unconspicuous tubercular infectious bone that is 4 mm apart to the distinct infectious focus, including the vertebral osteosclerosis, granulation tissue and necrotic tissne. ......