A Case Report on Complicated Tuberculous Meningitis

Analysis of Tuberculosis Meningitis Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most prevalent infectious disease in the world. In recent years there has been a significant increase in the incidence of TB due to the emergence of multidrug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) and the increased numbers of highly susceptible immuno-compromised individuals. Central nervous system TB, includes TB meningitis (TBM-the most common presentation), intracranial tuberculomas, and spinal tuberculous arachnoiditis. Individuals with TBM have an initial phase of malaise, headache, fever, or personality change, followed by protracted headache, stroke, meningismus, vomiting, confusion, and focal neurologic findings in two to three weeks. If untreated, mental status deteriorates into stupor or coma. Delay in the treatment of TBM results in, either death or substantial neurological morbidity. This review provides latest developments in the biomedical research on TB meningitis mainly in the areas of host immune responses, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.

Tetraplegia associated with post-operative syringomyelia in spinal tuberculosis: a result of an epidural compartment syndrome?

Introduction

The commonly recognized causes of post-operative neurological deterioration in spinal tuberculosis are inadequate decompression, damage to vascular supply of the spinal cord, and multi-drug resistant organisms. There are no known cases of syringomyelia developing after surgical decompression of spinal tuberculosis.

Case presentation

A teenage girl presented with rapid onset quadriparesis secondary to a tubercular epidural abscess extending from C4-T8. The neurological status deteriorated to quadriplegia immediately following decompression by hemilaminectomy at C7 and T7 levels. Investigations into the cause of neurological deterioration revealed syrinx formation at T5-9 levels. The patient had partial motor and sensory recovery in the first 3 weeks post-operatively. Tubercular infection was treated with a 1-year course of multi-drug anti-tubercular therapy. However, there was no further neurological improvement at 2 years follow-up.

Discussion

Syringomyelia in tuberculosis has been associated with tubercular meningitis, intradural tuberculomas, and post-surgical vascular insult. None of these were implicated as the cause of syrinx formation in this case. We hypothesize that the rapid evolution of epidural abscess in an intact vertebral column led to an acute "epidural compartment syndrome", which caused ischemic damage to the spinal cord. Compression caused by the epidural abscess was relieved by surgical decompression, allowing the central canal to dilate and expand into the softened spinal parenchyma, hence leading to syrinx formation.