DEFINITION:

Pott's disease, is a presentation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis that affects the spine, a

kind of tuberculous arthritis of the intervertebral joints. Scientifically, it is called tuberculous
spondylitis. Pott’s disease is the most common site of bone infection in TB; hips and knees
are also often affected. The lower thoracic and upper lumbar vertebrae are the areas of the
spine most often affected.

SYNONYMS:

Pott's disease, which is also known as Pott’s caries, Pott's syndrome, Pott's caries, Pott's
curvature, angular kyphosis, kyphosis secondary to tuberculosis, tuberculosis of the spine,
tuberculous spondylitis and David's disease , and Pott's curvature, which is a medical
condition of the spine.

DISCOVERER:

It is named after Percivall Pott (1714-1788), a London surgeon who trained at St

Bartholomew's Hospital, London.

ETIOLOGY:

Pott’s disease is caused when the vertebrae become soft and collapse as the result of
caries or osteitis. Typically, this is caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. As a result, a
person with Pott's disease often develops kyphosis, which results in a hunchback. This is
often referred to as Pott’s curvature. In some cases, a person with Pott's disease may also
develop paralysis, referred to as Pott’s paraplegia, when the spinal nerves become affected by
the curvature.

A person with Pott's disease may experience additional complications as a result of the
curvature. For example, an infection can more easily spread from the paravertebral tissue,
which can cause abscesses to occur. Regardless of the complications that may occur, Pott's
disease is typically slow spreading and can last for several months or years.

• The usual sites to be involved are the lower thoracic and upper lumbar vertebrae.
• The source of infection is usually outside the spine. It is most often spread from
the lungs via the blood.
• There is a combination of osteomyelitis and infective arthritis.
• Usually more than one vertebra is involved. The area most affected is the anterior
part of the vertebral body adjacent to the subchondral plate. Tuberculosis may
spread from that area to adjacent intervertebral discs.
• In adults, disc disease is secondary to the spread of infection from the vertebral
body but in children it can be a primary site, as the disc is vascular in children.
• It is the commonest place for tuberculosis to affect the skeletal system although it
can affect the hips and knees too.
• The infection spreads from two adjacent vertebrae into the adjoining disc space.
 • If only one vertebra is affected, the disc is normal, but if two are involved the disc
between them collapses as it is avascular and cannot receive nutrients.
• Caseation occurs, with vertebral narrowing and eventually vertebral collapse and
spinal damage. A dry soft tissue mass often forms and superinfection is rare.

TYPE/STAGE/CLASSIFICATION:

- Bone/Spinal Disease
- Non-Communicable Disease

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

- back pain
- fever
- night sweating
- anorexia
- weight loss
- Spinal mass, sometimes associated with numbness, paraesthesia, or muscle weakness of the
legs

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pott_disease
http://health.hpathy.com/potts-disease-symptoms-treatment-cure.asp
http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Pott%27s-Disease-%28Spine%29.htm
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17647446/Potts-Disease