Treating thoracic-lumbar Andersson lesion in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: case series.

UNLABELLED: To study the diagnosis and surgical treatment of thoracic-lumbar Andersson lesions among patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

METHOD: We retrospectively collected data from all patients with spine Andersson lesions from 2010 to 2020 and follow-up patients who received surgical treatment. One of the patients was misdiagnosed as spinal tuberculosis but was diagnosed with Andersson lesion after reviewing the patient's postoperative data.

RESULTS

There were 11 patients with Andersson lesions, three females and eight males. Four patients received conservative treatment, and six patients received posterior long-segment pedicle screw fixation, one patient received anterior lumbar fusion. One patient occurred neurologic impairment. All other patients recovered well and spine pain disappeared. There was no surgical infection.

CONCLUSION

Andersson lesions among patients with ankylosing spondylitis could be treated with posterior long-segment pedicle screw fixation. And it should be differentiated between spine infection and spine tuberculosis.