Posterior Approach With Osteotomized Debridement Versus Combined Anterior and Posterior Approach in Treating Thoracolumbar Tuberculosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Study Design: Retrospective cohort. Objectives: To compare outcomes of posterior osteotomized debridement (OD) with combined anterior and posterior approach (AP) in treating thoracolumbar tuberculosis (TB). Methods: This study reviewed 178 patients who were diagnosed as active thoracolumbar TB and surgically treated in our center. One hundred and two patients underwent posterior OD, interbody fusion with titanium mesh cage (TMC), and instrumentation (group A). Seventy-six patients underwent one-stage posterior instrumentation, anterior debridement, and interbody fusion with TMC (group B). Patients' clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. Results: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein in all patients returned to normal levels within 3 months after surgery, and no recurrence occurred during the follow-up. Compared with AP approach, OD surgery was less invasive and with a lower cost ((sic) 70 581 +/- 17 645 vs (sic)87 600 +/- 27 328; P < .05). Patients treated by OD showed more significant improvements in Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) than those treated by AP approach 3 months postoperatively (VAS: 3.0 +/- .7 vs 3.7 +/- .9; ODI: 14.7 +/- 4.4 vs 20.6 +/- 4.6). Two groups showed similar postoperative kyphosis correction and final follow-up correction loss (P = .361 and P = .162, respectively). The OD method had a lower complication rate than AP approach (9.8% [10/102] vs 35.5% [27/76]; P < .05). Conclusions Posterior OD is effective in treating active thoracolumbar TB. Compared with traditional AP approach, OD surgery has less surgical invasiveness, lower complication rate, and shorter fusion time.