Principles of treatment related to spinal tuberculosis

  The incidence of spinal tuberculosis, a type of bone tuberculosis, has been increasing in recent years, with a relatively large increase in the incidence in the middle-aged and elderly population and in remote areas, with some cases being drug-resistant. Since the spine is the central bone of the body and the spinal canal contains the spinal cord and nerves, delayed or improper treatment may cause many problems for the patient.  Anti-TB drug therapy is the core and key part of the treatment of spinal TB and follows the same principles of early, adequate, combined and complete drug administration. First-line antituberculosis drugs: rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin, pyrazinamide, etc., are used for one year in first-episode and first-treatment cases. In recent years, short-term chemotherapy regimens and ultra-short chemotherapy regimens for spinal tuberculosis have been proposed, but the subprograms have not been widely accepted and have resulted in a number of cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Drug-resistant TB or relapsed TB is mostly treated with second-line anti-TB drugs (preferably based on drug sensitivity results): e.g., rifapentine, propylthiouracil, sodium para-aminosalicylate, quinolones, Rickettsia lung disease, amikacin, capreomycin, etc. The duration of medication usually takes 18-25 months. Regular review of liver and kidney function is required during the course of medication, and liver-protective drugs are needed if necessary.  Surgery is not the main tool for spinal tuberculosis. The role of surgery is to release or eliminate spinal cord and nerve compression, improve or restore spinal nerve function; remove lesions, promote local tissue repair, and accelerate the process of tuberculosis treatment; remove abscesses and improve symptoms; and rebuild spinal stability. Not all spinal tuberculosis requires surgical intervention, but it is generally accepted that surgical intervention is required only when the following conditions occur: 1) tuberculosis abscess or lesions invade the spinal canal, with spinal cord or nerve root compression and corresponding symptoms; 2) tuberculosis destruction, loss of spinal stability, secondary pathological fracture or obvious deformity; 3) large pieces of dead bone in the lesion, which are difficult to be absorbed; 4) a large number of cold abscesses, with heavy symptoms, and simple drug treatment The effect is slow.  Except for the progressive aggravation of spinal cord compression, which requires surgery as soon as possible to save spinal cord function, the timing of surgery is generally required after the initial control of the disease by drugs. The specific surgical method needs to be considered according to the segment, scope, proximity and physical condition of the lesion, and so on.