The Neurological Complications of Tuberculous Spondylitis

Abstract

IN 1779, Pott described several patients with spinal cord compression and abscess formation.¹ The syndrome is now referred to as "Pott's Paraplegia" although it is commonly a paresis. Despite a general decrease in the incidence of tuberculosis in the United States, Pott's paraplegia continues to be a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problem for the clinical neurologist. Many reviews have appeared in the orthopedic and general surgical literature and have been primarily concerned with the efficacy of various forms of surgical therapy. This is a report of seven patients who were on the neurological services of Bronx Municipal Hospital Center (BMHC) and Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center (MHMC) with spinal cord compression due to tuberculous spondylitis. The relevant features of this disease will be described. (We will use the term "tuberculous spondylitis" to indicate tuberculosis of any part of the vertebra.) As will be shown, three of these patients