Pott's disease is a presentation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis that affects the spine. Precisely it is called tuberculous spondylitis and the original name was formed after Percivall Pott, a London surgeon. It is most commonly localized in the thoracic portion of the spine.
Common signs and symptoms are:
- back pain
- fever
- night sweats
- anorexia
- weight loss
Diagnosis is based on:
- blood tests - elevated ESR
- skin tests
- radiographs of the spine
- bone scan
- CT of the spine
- bone biopsy
Late complications of the disease are:
- severe kyphosis
- sinus formation,
- paraplegia (so called Pott's paraplegia)
Treatment:
- non-operative - antituberculous drugs
- immobilization of the spine region
- operative
External links
- Pott Disease Tuberculous Spondylitis - from eMedicine - medical article with MRI picture