Management dilemma of tuberculous paraplegia in pregnancy – A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB)/tuberculous spondylodiscitis of the spine causing paraplegia in the 2(nd) trimester of pregnancy is rare and poses significant management dilemmas. Pregnancy, a relatively immunocompromised state with high hormonal levels, may prompt rapid TB destruction of a vertebral body resulting in an acute/ profound neurological deficit. Here, a pregnant paraplegic mother was diagnosed with spondylodiscitis that warranted immediate decompression/fusion to achieve neurological recovery. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 26-year-old female was 23 weeks pregnant when she presented with an acute spastic paraplegia (complete motor, sensory deficit, and sphincter loss). Operative decompression utilized a Versatile Approach along with a “Hartshill rectangle” for fusion and sublaminar wiring. This procedure accomplished simultaneous anterior and posterior fixation with a single approach without the need for intraoperative radiologic imaging. Although the pregnancy was continued with an uneventful perioperative period, intra-uterine fetal demise was documented 1 month postoperatively. Within 18 postoperative months the patient was neurologically intact, and fusion was confirmed on a computed tomography scan. CONCLUSION: A 23-week pregnant female acutely became paraplegic due to T5 tuberculous spondylitis confirmed on an X-ray (only source of radiation), and magnetic resonance imaging. Following a decompression/ instrumented fusion performed without fluoroscopic guidance, the patient regained full neurological function. However, 1 month postoperatively, the fetus spontaneously aborted.