A case report on Pott’s spine masquerading as a midline neck swelling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-5929.ijohns20262395Keywords:
Extra pulmonary tuberculosis, Antitubercular therapy, Spinal tuberculosisAbstract
Spinal tuberculosis (spinal TB) is one of the common forms of extra pulmonary TB in both developed and developing countries. A cold abscess without any acute inflammatory symptoms is characteristic of spinal TB and is seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in almost 70% of the patients. 37-year-old female patient presented to the ENT OPD with complaints of midline neck swelling for 03 months duration. The patient also gave history of fever on and off for the past 03 months. The swelling was not progressive in size for 03 months. Ultrasonography of the swelling revealed a cystic collection at the level of the thyroid gland. Contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) revealed an abscess extending from C2 to DV5 with a prevertebral, paravertebral and an epidural component. To conclude spinal TB could present in multiple ways. In all cases of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) the mainstay treatment is antitubercular therapy (ATT) unless there is neurological deficit. Surgery is indicated only in cases with deformity or instability of the spine.
References
Mathew CS, Mathews SS, Albert RRA. Sternoclavicular joint tuberculosis masquerading as neck abscess. Int J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2022;8:850-3.
VidyaRaj CK, Vadakunnel MJ, Mani BR, Anbazhagi M, Pradhabane G, Venkateswari R, et al. Prevalence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and factors influencing successful treatment outcomes among notified cases in South India. Sci Rep. 2025;15(1):8290.
Central TB Division - Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India Index TB Guidelines. Guidelines on extra-pulmonary tuberculosis for India. Available at: https://tbcindia.mohfw.gov.in/ wp-content/uploads/2023/05/5585665076Index-TB-Guidelines.pdf. Accessed on 12 March 2026.
Shanmuganathan R, Ramachandran K, Shetty AP, Kanna RM. Active tuberculosis of spine: Current updates. N Am Spine Soc J. 2023;16:100267.
Fuentes Ferrer M, Gutiérrez Torres L, Ayala Ramírez O, Rumayor Zarzuelo M, del Prado González N. Tuberculosis of the spine. A systematic review of case series. Int Orthop. 2012;36(2):221-31.
World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2024. Available at: https://www.who.int/ teams/global-programme-on-tuberculosis-and-lung-health/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2024. Accessed on 12 March 2026.
Shanmuganathan R, Ramachandran K, Shetty AP, Kanna RM. Active tuberculosis of spine: Current updates. North Am Spine Soc J. 2023;16:2666-5484.
Pan Z, Cheng Z, Wang JC, Zhang W, Dai M, Zhang B. Spinal Tuberculosis: Always Understand, Often Prevent, Sometime Cure. Neurospine. 2021;18(3):648-50.
Kumar P, Sivaroja Y, Sowmini PR, Sathish Kumar M, Sakthivelayutham S, Malcolm Jeyaraj K, et al. Cervical Pott’s Spine: A Case Series. Bengal Phys J. 2022;9(1):6-8.
Jain D, Dasari V, Kaushik N, Singh G. Tuberculosis of the Cervical Spine: A Case Report. Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44911.