A Case Report of Spinal Tuberculosis with Multilevel Vertebral Fractures and Paraplegia

Matineh Sadat  Tabatabaei; Saber  Shafiei; Arash Chehreh Damavandi Motlagh; Mohammad  Nasimi

doi:10.18502/crcp.v9i4.17984

Matineh Sadat Tabatabaei Nursing and Midwifery School, Student Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Saber Shafiei Nursing and Midwifery School, Student Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Arash Chehreh Damavandi Motlagh Nursing and Midwifery School, Student Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Nasimi Trainee of Infectious Diseases Residency,Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/crcp.v9i4.17984

Keywords: Spinal tuberculosis; Vertebral fracture; Pleural effusion

Abstract

Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a rare extrapulmonary manifestation that can causevertebral fractures, neurological deficits, and paraplegia. This report presents a43-year-old male with sudden paraplegia, back pain, and sensory loss. MRI revealedfractures in T10, T11, and L5, and histopathology confirmed spinal TB with concurrentpulmonary TB and pleural effusion. The patient’s history of chronic dexamethasonemisuse contributed to immunosuppression and disease dissemination. Classified asGrade 4 paraplegia, his condition required surgical stabilization, anti-TB therapy, andsupportive care. This case highlights the rarity of multilevel vertebral fractures andsevere neurological deficits in spinal TB, emphasizing the importance of early imaging,tissue biopsy, and prompt multidisciplinary intervention to prevent permanent disability.