Background: Thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) and tuberculous infective spondylodiscitis rarely combine to cause paraplegia. Here, a 48-year-old female with both thoracic OLF and tuberculous spondylodiscitis experienced the acute onset of paraplegia successfully managed with a T8-L1 laminectomy with fusion.
Case description: A 48-year-old female presented with the acute onset of paraplegia attributed to magnetic resonance-documented thoracic OLF and infective spondylodiscitis. Imaging revealed spinal cord compression (i.e., occupying >50% of the spinal canal) from D8 to D10 level and infective spondylodiscitis at the D10-D11 level. Surgery included a D8-L1 laminectomy with instrumented fusion. Histology and cultures revealed the presence of tuberculosis, and anti-tubercular therapy was administered. Both surgery and continued antibiotic therapy contributed to neurological improvement.
Conclusion: Thoracic OLF combined with tuberculous spondylodiscitis may be effectively treated with decompression, fusion, and appropriate anti-tubercular therapy.
Keywords: Dorsal spine, Infective spondylodiscitis, Koch's, Neurological deficit, Ossified ligamentum flavum (OLF), Paraplegia, Tuberculosis spine instability score (TSIS).
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