Spinal tuberculosis of the lumbar spine after percutaneous vertebral augmentation (vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty).

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Spinal tuberculosis occurring after percutaneous vertebral augmentation has rarely been described. To date, only two such cases have been documented in the literature. Vertebral augmentation may reactivate a quiescent tuberculous lesion and promote the infective process in elderly patients with or without immunosuppression, thereby resulting in poor outcomes.

PURPOSE

The purposes of this study were to present two cases in which spinal tuberculosis occurred after vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty, to highlight the clinical features and need for early diagnosis of this pathology, and to postulate probable reasons for this association.

STUDY DESIGN

This study is based on a clinical case series and literature review.

METHODS

In this report, we review the clinical histories of two old women undergoing vertebral augmentation with subsequent spinal tuberculosis.

RESULTS

The first patient responded favorably to conservative treatment with multidrug antitubercular therapy and spinal braces. The second patient underwent surgical debridement through a posterior approach alone, without instrumentation, combined with adjuvant chemotherapy. By 1 year after treatment, both patients had experienced almost complete recovery and continued to be seen for follow-up visits.

CONCLUSIONS

Suspicion should be high, and magnetic resonance imaging is warranted in cases with deteriorating clinical symptoms and signs of acute infection after vertebral augmentation. We propose obtaining exhaustive microbiologic and histologic evidence via needle biopsy or open surgery in a timely fashion to establish an accurate diagnosis because tubercular spondylitis occurring in such a situation may progress rapidly.