Survey of spinal tuberculosis in Basrah

Background. Tuberculous spondylitis (TS) or spinal tuberculosis is secondary either to pulmonary or intestinal tuberculosis and may be the initial manifestation of tuberculosis (TB). Spinal TB also called Pott’s disease is by definition, an advanced severe disease, requiring accurate evaluation and aggressive systemic therapy. Objective. This study was conducted to demonstrate the prevalence and clinical, laboratory, and management characteristics of patients with spinal tuberculosis in Basrah governorate. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive retrospective and prospective study was conducted during the period of March 2020 to December 2021. All cases either registered at the tuberculous center / Basrah Health Director were viewed by phone calling or recall or newly diagnosed with spinal tuberculous which attended to Basrah Teaching Hospital. Those patients were followed after diagnosis and treatment initiation for any clinical improvement, worsening or no improvement after diagnosis. Results. Among 51 enrolled patients with spinal tuberculosis in this study, the age distribution was 20-39 years old 23 (45.09%). Most of the patients were males (32) with rates 62.74%. The most common site of vertebral involvement is dorsal segment 29 (56.86%). The most common presenting complaints were: back pain in 49 patients (96.07%). Regarding the examination findings, 2(13.33%) with deformity either kyphotic or gibbous deformity. Most of the examined patients had a power grade 1-3/5 (93.33%) in the lower limbs. Out of the 4 cases of cervical tuberculosis, all of them had been managed conservatively, while 6 out of 16 cases (37.5%) diagnosed with lumber lesions were managed conservatively, and 10 cases (62.5%) were managed surgically. Conclusion. The prevalence and characteristics of patients with spinal TB follow the global trend, although some differences were recorded, but it was not that significant. The surgical approach is still superior to the conservative one in the improvement of neurological deficits.