Unusual forms of spinal tuberculosis

Date
2008
Authors
du Plessis J.
Andronikou S.
Theron S.
Wieselthaler N.
Hayes M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Objective: The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is increasing in both developing and developed worlds, and children, in particular, represent a high-risk group for acquiring the disease. TB of the central nervous system is the most severe, life-threatening form of TB in infants and children. Approximately 10% of all patients with TB have central nervous system involvement. Materials and methods: We have selected four pediatric cases of unusual spinal TB that presented to our institution during the last 5 years. These include TB arachnoiditis, intramedullary spinal cord tuberculoma, TB spondylitis of the odontoid peg, and one child with tuberculous extradural abscess. Conclusion: TB may involve the intramedullary, extramedullary intrathecal compartment, or the extrathecal vertebral compartment in the form of an arachnoiditis, abscess, and spondylitis, respectively, often with unusual imaging presentations. © Springer-Verlag 2007.
Description
Keywords
antiretrovirus agent, gadolinium, tuberculostatic agent, anorexia, arachnoiditis, article, brain infarction, brain ventricle peritoneum shunt, bulbar paralysis, case report, clinical feature, computer assisted tomography, contrast enhancement, diarrhea, epidural abscess, facial nerve paralysis, female, fever, human, hydrocephalus, infant, lethargy, lung tuberculosis, male, meningism, nonhuman, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, preschool child, priority journal, quadriplegia, spondylitis, tonic clonic seizure, tuberculoma, tuberculous meningitis, tuberculous spondylitis, vomiting, Arachnoiditis, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Incidence, Infant, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Spondylitis, Tuberculosis, Spinal
Citation
Child's Nervous System
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