Pott's disease in children.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of tuberculosis is increasing, and skeletal tuberculosis accounts for 10-20% of all extrapulmonary cases. Spinal tuberculosis occurs mostly in children and young adults. It causes bone destruction, spinal deformity and neural complications.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our study includes 37 children (below 15 years of age) with spinal tuberculosis treated in our department in the last 6 years. The demographic data, clinical profile, surgical intervention and outcome of these children are reported.

RESULTS: The mean age ranged from 4 to 15 years, with an average of 9.1 years, and the male/female ratio was 1.8. Thirty patients (81%) had progressive inflammatory rachialgia and only six patients (16.2%) had neurological symptoms. The lumbar spine was mostly affected (23 cases). All patients have benefited from antituberculous chemotherapy (Regimen 2SRHZ/10RH) associated with spinal immobilization during 3 months. The surgical treatment was indicated in seven patients because of the presence of large bilateral abscess of the psoas muscle in one patient and the presence of severe neurological symptoms in the six remaining patients. The evolution was favorable in all cases, including those with neurological symptoms. There was no case of death and the length of follow-up for these patients ranged between 1 and 4 years.

CONCLUSION: Spinal tuberculosis is still a prevalent disease in developing countries, mainly occurring in children. Complications of the disease can be devastating because of its ability to cause bone destruction, spinal deformity and paraplegia. Therefore, an early diagnosis and establishment of treatment are necessary to expect a good outcome.