COMPLICATIONS OF SPINAL

TUBERCULOSIS
Paraplegia
Cold abscess
Spinal deformity
Sinuses
Secondary infection
Amyloid disease
Fatality
Cold abscess
The abscesses may be palpated as fluctuant
swellings in the groin, iliac fossa,
retropharynx, or on the side of the neck,
depending upon the level of the lesion
Large cold abscesses of paraspinal tissues or
psoas muscle may protrude under the inguinal
ligament and may erode into the perineum or
gluteal area.
Tuberculous necrotic material from the cervical
spine may collect in the form of a cold abscess
in the retropharyngeal region; at the posterior
border of sternomastoid; in the back of neck
along spinal nerves and in the axilla along
axillary sheath

Involvement of the dorsolumbar spine may lead to cold
abscess in the rectus sheath and lower abdominal wall
along the intercostal, ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric
nerves;
in the thigh along the psoas sheath;
in the back along the posterior spinal nerves;
in the buttock along superior gluteal nerve;
in the Petit's triangle along the flat muscles of abdominal
wall or,
in the ischiorectal fossa along the internal pudendal
nerve.

TUBERCULOUS SPINE WITH
PARAPLEGIA
Incidence : 10 30 %
Dorsal spine most common
Motor functions affected before / greater
than sensory.
Sense of position & vibration last to
disappear
PATHOLOGY OF TUBERCULOUS
PARAPLEGIA
Inflammatory Edema :Vascular stasis , Toxins.
Extradural Mass :Tuberculous osteitis of VB &
Abscess.
Meningeal Changes : Dura as a rule not
involved.
Extradural granulation Contraction /
Cicatrization Peridural fibrosis Recurrent
Paraplegia
Bony disorders :Sequestra , Internal
Gibbus
Infarction of Spinal Cord :Endarteritis,
Periarteritis or thrombosis of tributary to
ASA.
Changes in Spinal Cord :Thinning
(Atrophy), Myelomalacia & Syrinx.