Pott's illness

Pott's disease (malum Potti) is a chronic epidural tuberculous infection with inflammation of the vertebrae (spondylitis of the vertebral bodies'), usually in the lower thoracic spinei. It belongs to the most common form of bone tuberculosis (others include, for example, tuberculous arthritis, which is usually monoarticular).

Characteristics:
 * It spreads from the disc to the front of the vertebral bodies (spondylodiscitis tuberculosa).
 * When 2 adjacent vertebrae collapse, a block or stiffness is formed and spinal cord compression can occur.
 * Paralysis of the lower limbs appears in up to half of the cases.
 * Magnetic resonance imaging sometimes demonstrates a cold abscess deposited paravertebrally.
 * The disease is thus summarized by 3 basic symptoms: plegia, kyphosis and abscess.

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