Potts Disease

What is Potts Disease?

Potts Disease is a deformity of the spine after tuberculosis infection of the bones of the spine.

How do you get Potts Disease?

Tuberculous spondylitis is believed to result from hematogenous spread from an extra spinal primary focus. Approximately 5% of patients with tuberculosis will have associated lesions in the spine.

How is Potts Disease diagnosed?

Tuberculosis may present as a slowly progressive localized spine pain. Symptoms of a chronic illness such as fever, malaise, weight loss, and anorexia are more common.

Biopsies usually are necessary to obtain material for bacteriologic cultures.

The paravertebral soft tissues should be carefully examined for evidence of abscess formation. Tuberculosis tends to involve more levels of the spine with more extensive destruction, which appears out of proportion to the amount of pain at presentation.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of granulomatous infections may be atypical, suggesting neoplasm rather than infection. The false-negative rate may be reduced with the addition of gadolinium enhancement. If the findings on an MRI study are inconclusive, then the addition of CT scan with myelography provides excellent diagnostic accuracy and anatomic detail.

How is Potts Disease treated?

A treatment time of 6 to 9 months of anti-tuberculosis medication is often recommended. Occasionally surgery is required for decompression and stabilization of the spine if collapse of the vertebra has caused compression of the nerves or spinal cord.