Seeta Dwivedi, 54 years old, female from Rewa came to Wockhardt Hospital with severe back pain. She was unable to sit, stand and walk. On investigating, she was diagnosed to have prolapse (slip) disc in spine.
Her MRI scan was reviewed by Dr. Priyesh Dhoke, Consultant-Spine Surgery. It showed feature of infection in spine mostly tuberculosis and the patient was suggested to get urgent treatment.
However till the time patient could decide for surgery. Suddenly one day the patient lost her voice, unable to speak, again and visited Neurologist Dr. Amit Bhatti.
He investigated her and found that her tuberculosis has reached the brain (Brain tuberculosis).
Her back pain and spine tuberculosis worsened she got weakness in legs and was bed bound. The case became more complicated when the TB has damaged her lungs as miliary tuberculosis of chest. So it is a case of spinal tuberculosis with paralysis in legs and now brain tuberculosis and lung tuberculosis. This disseminated tuberculosis and this problem is very critical to treat.
Wockhardt’s team of doctors managed her disseminated tuberculosis and then I planned the spine surgery as 2 vertebral bones L4 & L5 were completely destroyed and loads of pus was pressing on nerves, she is bed bound unable to sit, stand and walk with leg weakness.
Dr. Dhoke planned a spinal surgery, and had to remove the infected bony part and replace it with new bone and big artificial metal cage to support the spine, also we have to fix the spine as from lumbar to iliac fixation which is a very difficult surgery to perform. Even for anesthetist it is very challenging issue to manage.
The patient responded very well after successful surgery and her strength is improved, so in 3 weeks time she is managing to walk confidently. We hardly see this type of extensive spread of tuberculosis in Spine, Brain, Pelvis, Chest all are involved with tuberculosis.
The team approach and performing the critical surgery helped the patient to recover fast and back on her feet.
