Spinal tuberculosis--the commonest cause of non-traumatic paraplegia in Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

A retrospective study was undertaken of 53 cases of non-traumatic paraplegia admitted to two major hospitals in Papua New Guinea (PNG) from 1975-1982; 19 of these cases were examined. The mean age of the patients was 29 years (range: 2-70 years). Spinal tuberculosis was the commonest cause of paraplegia (83%), followed by neoplasia (7.5%). Two cases of chronic idiopathic arachnoiditis were noted but nutritional myelopathy was not diagnosed. Thirty-one (70%) of the 44 tuberculosis patients responded to treatment and were ambulant at discharge but only 18% were known to have completed 18 months' chemotherapy and 23% defaulted. The introduction of short-term chemotherapy regimens using rifampicin should improve future management of spinal tuberculosis in PNG.

• Authors: E M Scrimgeour, J Kaven, D C Gajdusek
• Journal: Tropical and geographical medicine (Trop Geogr Med) Vol. 39 Issue 3 Pg. 218-21 (Jul 1987) ISSN: 0041-3232 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 3433337 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antitubercular Agents

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Antitubercular Agents (therapeutic use)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraplegia (epidemiology, etiology, therapy)
• Retrospective Studies
• Rural Population
• Tuberculosis, Spinal (complications, epidemiology, therapy)