pott's spine

[surjit1754]

My son,aged 27,is under ATT forthe last 4 months as he has diagnosed with infection/ganulation formation at L5-S1.The pain has reduced to a great extent.Now,he is on R-cinex 600 and mycobutol 1200. Please suggest if any he can do any exercise for the back.Any other suggestion for speedy recovery.The period for which medication is likely to continue may also be advised.

[JainMD]

Hi,
It is good to hear that surgery has gone well.
The key for draining abcess was also to do culture and sensitivity and find out whether the current medications are sensitive to organism growing i.e. tubercular germs.
I think you should be cross checking with the doctor whether it is been sent. I am sure any doctor would send it to confirm the diagnosis and also to see for appropriate Anti-tubercular drugs.
Which hospital is the surgery conducted?
Keep me posted.
Bye.

[Ranga_23]

Hello Doctor,

Thanks for your reply.The surgery went well and all the abscess has been decompressed. I was told that the rib had to be cut at 2 places inorder to drain the abscess and a bone graft was put. T7 was partially compressed..

I am unaware of any culture been sent, is this to confirm if the current ATT is the right medication for treating the infection?

Please let me know

Thanks
Ranga

[JainMD]

Hi,
I feel sorry that your father who is so old has to go through all this.
If there is indeed a need for surgery then it should be done. I think by the time you receive this post the surgery would be over.
Keep me posted as how the surgery was and whether the doctor's have send abcess for culture and sensitivity.
The sample should be sent for AFB culture and if growth is found then it should be tested against the current regimen of ATT what your father is taking.
Keep me posted.
Bye.

[Ranga_23]

Hello Dr Kalpesh

My father continously kept getting pain in the back more frequently, we went to Ortho Surg yest and after getting an x-ray, he said tht the abscess has not reduced and tht now there is a compression at T-7 and hence he has posted him for surgery for tomorrow at 1 PM. He also started feeling weakness in his legs, they are however still responding.....

My cousin who is also an Ortho Surg in Calicut (Kerala) came all the way to give a second opinion and he confirm the need for a surgery. Apparently it is a high risk surgery so I am just keeping my fingers crossed, however the Ortho and Neuro Surgeon have said tht the surgery should go well....I hope things go well by gods grace!!

Thanks for your follow up, I will keep you posted.

Regards
Ranga

[JainMD]

Hi Ranga,
How is your father doing?
Is he fine? Did he have repeated back pain?
Have you seen any orthopaedician and if yes, what they have to say about this?
Any imaging study is done?
I think the cause for his lower back pain could be his pathology of spinal disc.
Keep me informed.
Bye.

[JainMD]

Hi Ranga,
How long it’s been that doctors have started ATT on your father?
I think it is time now for you to check it with your father's primary consultant to check for causes of lower back pain.
I think he should be getting evaluated by an orthopaedician to evaluate for causes of lower back pain at this age.
In the lumbosacral spine, radicular symptoms are caused by an intervertebral disc bulge, protrusion, extrusion, or sequestration that compresses and inflames a nerve root in approximately 98% of all cases. Other causes of radicular symptoms emanating from the lumbosacral spine include disc osteophytes, a buckled ligamentum flavum, zygapophysial (Z)-joint hypertrophy, and other causes of lumbosacral spinal stenosis.
I recommend you to get his lower back imaging study done which includes an MRI study.
Keep me informed.
Bye.