The Versatile Approach: A Novel Single Incision Combined with Anterior and Posterior Approaches for Decompression and Instrumented Fusion to Treat Tuberculosis of the Thoracic Spine

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case series. PURPOSE To describe a novel single incision that combines anterior and posterior approaches for decompression and instrumented fusion to treat tuberculosis of the thoracic spine and study the neurological and radiological outcomes. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE Tuberculosis of the spine remains a major health issue in many developing countries. The options for treating tuberculosis of the thoracic spine include the anterior, posterior, and combined approaches, each with its advantages and disadvantages. METHODS Totally, 143 patients with tuberculosis of the thoracic spine were surgically treated using the "Versatile approach". Posterior fixation was performed using sublaminar wires and a Hartshill rectangle in all patients. Anterior reconstruction was accomplished using bone graft harvested from autologous rib, iliac crest, or fibula. RESULTS The study included 45 males and 98 females, with a mean age of 33.18±18.65 years (range, 3-82 years) and a mean follow-up of 60.23±24.56 months (range, 18-156 months). Kyphosis improved from a mean value of 24.02 preoperatively to 10.25 postoperatively. A preoperative neurological deficit was observed in 131 patients, with 130 patients regaining ambulatory power. No patient had deterioration of neurological status following surgery. Fusion was achieved in all cases. The visual analogscale score improved from an average score of 7.02 preoperatively to 1.51 at final follow-up. Eight patients had superficial macerations, which healed spontaneously. One patient had buckling of the anterior graft, and one patient had implant breakage following road traffic accident. CONCLUSIONS The "Versatile approach" is an effective, single-stage, single-incision method that combines anterior and posterior approaches for the surgically treating tuberculosis of the thoracic spine. It offers the advantage of direct visualization for decompression and reconstruction of the anterior and posterior vertebral columns, thus providing an excellent, long-lasting clinical outcome.