Post-traumatic Back Pain Revealed as Tuberculous Spondylitis: A Case Report.
- Author:
Bum Suk KIM
1
;
Jeong Hee SHIN
;
Ho Sik MOON
;
Jin Young CHON
;
Choon Ho SUNG
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords: back pain; biopsy; differential diagnosis; tuberculous spondylitis
- MeSH: Accidents, Traffic; Adult; Back Pain; Biopsy; Chest Pain; Diagnosis, Differential; Early Diagnosis; Humans; Rare Diseases; Spondylitis; Tuberculosis, Spinal; Tuberculosis, Pleural
- From:The Korean Journal of Pain 2010;23(1):74-77
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: Tuberculous spondylitis is a very rare disease, but it can result in bone destruction, kyphotic deformity, spinal instability, and neurologic complications unless early diagnosis and proper management are done. Because the most common symptom of tuberculous spondylitis is back pain, it can often be misdiagnosed. Atypical tuberculous spondylitis can be presented as a metastatic cancer or a primary vertebral tumor. We must make a differential diagnosis through adequate biopsy. A 30-year-old man visited our clinic due to back and chest pain after a recent traffic accident. About 1 year ago, he had successfully recovered from tuberculous pleurisy after taking anti-tuberculosis medication. We performed epidural and intercostal blocks but the pain was not relieved. For the further evaluation, several imaging and laboratory tests were done. Finally, we confirmed tuberculous spondylitis diagnosis with the biopsy results.
