The risk of paralysis in vertebral tuberculosis
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Date
2010-05-08
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Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University
Abstract
Vertebral tuberculosis is still a health problem in Thailand. Apart from spinal deformities it may be associated with paralysis with dreadful consequences. Paralysis at the thoracic level is more common in this condition due to the relative incompatibility of the thoracic spinal canal and the spinal cord. However, the magnitude of the risk of paralysis in this condition does not exist. We therefore carried out a retrospective study of 87 cases of vertebral tuberculosis to find out the risk. There were 52 cases of thoracic and 35 cases of lumbar involvement (No cervical found in this study) The risk for neural deficit or paralysis in the thoracic group was found to be 5 times more than the lumbar group (Chi-square test shows p \< 0.01 , odd ratio = 5.22 and 95% confident interval = 1.69-16.86)
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Srinagarind Medical Journal (SMJ); Vo. 3 No. 3 July - September 1988; 164-170