[Application of limited decompression combined with vertebral plate reconstruction on treatment of single segment thoracic vertebra tuberculosis].

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness in the treatment of single segment thoracic vertebra tuberculosis by limited decompression combined with epidural absorbable haemostat covering and vertebral plate reconstruction based on one-stage posterior approach, debridement, bone fusion, and internal fixation.
Methods: Between September 2005 and March 2010, 90 cases of single segment thoracic vertebra tuberculosis were treated by using limited decompression combined with epidural absorbable haemostat covering and vertebral plate reconstruction based on one-stage posterior approach, debridement, bone fusion, and internal fixation in 44 patients (treatment group) and by one-stage posterior approach, bone fusion, and internal fixation in 46 patients (control group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, disease duration, affected segment, Cobb angle, Frankle grade, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) between 2 groups (P > 0.05).
Results: All incisions healed by first intension. All 90 cases were followed up 24-44 months (mean, 38 months). There was no significant difference in ESR between 2 groups at 1 week and 3 months after operation (P > 0.05). Postoperative iconography indicated that the bone fusion rate of the treatment group was 100% and no epidural cicatricial tissue or failure of internal fixation was observed, showing significant difference when compared with control group (3 cases having failure of internal fixation) (P = 0.032). The Cobb angles were significantly corrected after operation when compared with preoperative angles in 2 groups (P < 0.05). At 2 years after operation and at last follow-up, the Cobb angle and correction loss in treatment group were significantly better than those in control group (P < 0.05). The ODI and Frankel grade were significantly improved at last follow-up when compared with preoperative ones in 2 groups (P < 0.05); the treatment group was significantly better than the control group in the ODI, improvement rate of ODI (P < 0.05), and in Frankel grade (Uc = 4.368, P = 0.000).
Conclusion: Compared with conventional operation method, it is an ideal operation method to use limited decompression combined with epidural absorbable haemostat covering and vertebral plate reconstruction based on one-stage posterior approach, debridement, bone fusion, and internal fixation for treatment of single segment thoracic vertebra tuberculosis, with minimal wound, less complications, and good function recovery.