[Tuberculosis of the spine in the elderly and its surgical treatment].

Among the contingents with newly diagnosed spinal tuberculosis are mainly subjects aged over 50 years who have many concurrent diseases, basically associated with age, late diagnosis and advanced destructive process attended by cerebrospinal disturbances in 67.5% of cases. The characteristic features and high incidence of complications of the disease course in this category of patients call for early and complete surgical treatment. The results of treatment demonstrate a satisfactory tolerance to spinal operations by elderly patients and their high effectiveness in timely application.