Posterior spinal cord compression: outcome and results.

STUDY

DESIGN

Prospective, comparative study of neurologic outcome in patients with posterior extradural cord compression.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the results of surgical decompression in patients presenting with neurologic deficit due to posterior element tuberculosis with those due to other causes.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Posterior cord compression is a relatively uncommon entity with not much literature published on it.

METHODS

Over a period of 5 years, 14 patients with extradural posterior cord compression with neurologic deficit were divided into two etiologic groups: 9 patients had Koch's and 5 had other pathologies. All these cases were surgically decompressed posteriorly and the results compared.

RESULTS

While results of surgery in patients with Koch's were good, with 7 of the 9 patients showing full recovery, outcome in patients with compression due to other causes (tumor/pyogenic infection) was not very satisfactory even after adequate mechanical decompression, with 3 of the 5 cases remaining paraplegic even after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Posterior cord compression due to nontuberculous causes frequently mimics the picture of Koch's both clinically and radiologically. Prognosis of surgical decompression is good in tuberculous compression but not in other cases.