We performed a randomised, controlled clinical trial to compare ambulant short-course chemotherapy with anterior spinal fusion plus short-course chemotherapy for spinal tuberculosis without paraplegia. Patients with active disease of vertebral bodies were randomly allocated to one of three regimens: a) radical anterior resection with bone grafting plus six months of daily isoniazid plus rifampicin (Rad6); b) ambulant chemotherapy for six months with daily isoniazid plus rifampicin (Amb6); or c) similar to b) but with chemotherapy for nine months (Amb9).

Ten years from the onset of treatment, 90% of 78 Rad6, 94% of 78 Amb6 and 99% of 79 Amb9 patients had a favourable status.

Ambulant chemotherapy for a period of six months with daily isoniazid plus rifampicin (Amb6) was an effective treatment for spinal tuberculosis except in patients aged less than 15 years with an initial angle of kyphosis of more than 30° whose kyphosis increased substantially.

We have measured the increase in height and width of the vertebral bodies and expressed them as percentages of the total growth in children aged 10 to 17 years. The first group, 10 boys and 10 girls, each had a single thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis while the second group, 10 girls, each had a single lumbar adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. No significant differences were found between the growth increments and spinal dimensions of the vertebral bodies involved in the scoliotic curve and those vertebrae outside the curve in the same patient. The vertebrae were more slender in girls than in boys.

We report seven cases of patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis in whom involvement of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae occurred. Histological corroboration is presented in four. Pathological lesions comprised various combinations of paravertebral joint erosions, erosive discitis, anteroposterior and rotatory instability, major lumbar nerve root compression, and vertebral collapse. Specific radiological features are presented, enabling a distinction to be made between pure degenerative spondylosis and rheumatoid spondylitis. We submit that subcervical rheumatoid spondylitis is commoner than is generally believed, though less common than rheumatoid involvement of the cervical spine.

After exclusions, 265 patients with tuberculosis of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine were followed for three years from the start of treatment. They were randomly allocated to four daily regimens of chemotherapy: 1) isoniazid plus rifampicin for 6 months (6HR, 65); 2) the same drugs as in 1) but for 9 months (9HR, 71); 3) isoniazid plus paraaminosalicylic acid (PAS) or ethambutol for 9 months (9P/EH, 62); or 4) the same drugs as in 3) but for 18 months (18P/EH, 67). All patients were ambulatory from the start of chemotherapy and no form of splintage or support or operation was used in any case. Over half (55%) the patients were children and one-third had sinuses or clinically evident abscesses. At three years a favourable status, defined as no sinus nor clinically evident abscess, no myelopathy with functional impairment, no surgery nor additional chemotherapy, full physical activity with disease quiescent clinically and radiographically, was achieved in 203 patients (77%) and in another 41 (15%) in all respects except radiographically. Only 20 patients (8%) had an unfavourable status the proportion being highest (19%) in the 9P/EH series. Thirteen of these were classified as unfavourable solely because they had needed additional chemotherapy; only seven still had an unfavourable status at three years. The clinical results at three years were thus excellent in all series except the 9P/EH, in which more patients had required additional chemotherapy. In the 88 patients with sinuses or abscesses on admission, the rate of resolution was similar in all the series; most lesions (83%) had resolved by 12 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Three cases of spinal osteomyelitis due to brucellosis are reported, all in women. Radiological confirmation was delayed for at least three months after the first clinical manifestation, while in one patient a bone scan was positive at an early stage. In two of the three cases the diagnosis was delayed because of insufficient awareness of the disease. Spinal osteomyelitis caused by Brucella is indistinguishable radiologically from that caused by other micro-organisms and needle aspiration or exploration is frequently performed to establish the correct diagnosis. Increased awareness of brucellosis and the carrying out of appropriate blood cultures and serological tests may make these procedures unnecessary.

1. At the present stage of our experience, when 150 patients have been analysed over a period of five years, the conclusion has been reached that anterior interbody fusion in the lower lumbar spine is a procedure which should be added to our surgical armamentarium for use in selected cases.

2. Patients suffering from chronic intervertebral disc degeneration whose main symptoms are recurrent incapacitating backache derive the most benefit from this procedure.

3. When used as a salvage operation in patients who have had previous unsuccessful laminectomy or posterior fusion, good results can be expected.

4. In patients with spondylolisthesis anterior interbody fusion should be confined to cases in which the vertebral bodies have not slipped forward more than one-third.

1. A new operation of body-to-body intervertebral fusion by grafts introduced through a posterior approach is described. This is a preliminary report of early results, with follow-up to two years, which seems to be encouraging.

2. In spondylolisthesis, abnormal mobility of the loose posterior neural arch is believed in itself to cause nerve root pressure, and excision of the arch is an important part of the operation.

3. In the few cases where spinal fusion is needed after removal of a prolapsed intervertebral disc—and the proportion is now very low—posterior intervertebral fusion has proved very satisfactory.

1. The steps of the operation of spinal osteotomy, as carried out with the patient in the lateral posture, are described.

2. Details of post-operative management are given.

3. The major risks of the operation are discussed and precautions suggested.