Spinal Tuberculosis Mimicking Failed Back Surgery
Selcuk Ozdogan, Nail Demirel, Cumhur Kaan Yaltirik, Basar Atalay, Ali Haluk Duzkalir, Mustafa Kaya
article (Uluslararası, Hakemli) | Yazar(lar): Selcuk Ozdogan, Nail Demirel, Cumhur Kaan Yaltirik, Basar Atalay, Ali Haluk Duzkalir, Mustafa Kaya | Yıl: 2018 | Dergi/Kurum: AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CASE REPORTS | İndeks: WOS.ESCI | DOI: 10.12659/ajcr.907409 | Anahtar Kelimeler: Disease Management, Failed Back Surgery Syndrom
Objective: Challenging differential diagnosis
Background: The aim of this study was to draw attention to rare spinal infections in recurrent failed spinal surgeries.
Case Report: A 59-year-old female was admitted to the hospital for back pain, which was assessed as a 9 on the visual analogue scale (VAS); the patient reported tiredness and night sweats. She had an operation for L3-4 far lateral disc herniation four years ago. Then another operation for L4-5 disc herniation six months ago and immediately three months later she has an operation with L3-4-5 fixation again. She had hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Her daughter was cured of pulmonary tuberculosis 20 years ago. We performed an operation by L4-5 discectomy; all granulation formation with inflammatory processes were debrided and irrigated with antibiotics at levels of L3-5. The old fixation was controlled and replaced. Her back pain improved immediately after surgery; she had a score of 2 on the VAS. Two days after her surgery, our Infection Disease Department reported acid resistant bacillus (ARB+) in samples and began anti-tuberculosis medication.
Conclusions: Spinal infections should always be taken into consideration in recurrent failed back surgeries.