Thoracic tuberculosis misdiagnosed as lumbar compression fracture and treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP): a case report and literature review

Abstract Thoracolumbar tuberculosis is a common clinical disease. In this study, a 63 years old female patient had back pain after physical work. X-ray examination showed that the 8th thoracic vertebra was compressed. MR showed that the signal of the 8th thoracic vertebra was abnormal, and T2 showed an obviously high signal. Then, she was misdiagnosed as compression fracture of the thoracic spine at first diagnosis and treated with percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty (PKP) and the pain was gradually aggravated 3 months after the operation; then, lower extremity neurological symptoms began to appear. After that, she was finally diagnosed with tuberculosis of the thoracic spine and received surgery again and then the symptoms were ameliorated significantly, and the muscle strength of both lower limbs recovered. For patients with thoracolumbar compression fractures, we should fully understand the disease history of the disease and perform a detailed examination. The tuberculosis and even tumors should be considered to avoid misdiagnosis.