Paraplegia in spinal tuberculosis due to anterior spinal artery syndrome

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem especially in developing countries. Around 10% of patients with extra pulmonary tuberculosis may have bone and joint involvement and half of them will have tuberculosis of spine. Paraplegia is the most dreaded complication of spinal tuberculosis. Infective thrombosis or endarteritis of spinal vessels leading to infarction of the spinal cord is a very rare cause of paraplegia. We describe a 45-year-old lady presenting with spinal tuberculosis leading to paraplegia with associated anterior spinal arterial thrombosis.