Cage Loosening In Tuberculosis Of Dorsal Spine

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the incidence of cage loosening in patients operated for tuberculosis
of spine in different teaching hospitals.
Material & Methods: This retrospective study was done on 50 individuals who had
tuberculosis of dorsal spine with paraplegia and were operated. These patients underwent
anterior decompression and cage fixation between 2000 and 2004.Those who had completed 4
years of follow up were included in the study. The diagnosis of loosening of cage was made on xrays which were available at the time of study.
Results: Out of 123 cases operated between 2000 and 2004 for tuberculosis of dorsal spine, 50
were available for follow up. These patients were examined clinically and radiographically.
Loosening was defined as a zone of osteolysis more than 2 mm around the cage on either view or
cage displacement from its operative position more than 4mm.There were 31males and 19
females with age ranging from 21 to 70 years. Cage loosening was seen only in one patient (2%).
49 patients showed good results and were disease free.
Conclusion: Cage loosening has not been noticed in our patients who were operated for T.B
spine where anterior decomposition and cage fixation was done for treatment purposes.