Treatment of Vertebral Tuberculosis by Fusion Operation

In these 210 cases of vertebral tuberculosis, the patients were operated on at the New York Orthopedic Hospital in the period of January, 1911, to January, 1915, so that at this date, June, 1918, seven years have elapsed since the earliest and three and one-half years since the latest patient was operated on. This is a sufficient length of time to make possible a fair estimate of the influence of the operation on the course of the disease. The operation was designed and its technic perfected with the single object of eliminating motion of the diseased articulations, experience having proved that the limited motion obtained by various mechanical means, such as braces, corsets, etc., was beneficial. It was felt that absolute elimination would hasten the cure and perhaps prevent deformity. The absolute elimination of motion in any joint is accomplished only when the bones entering into its formation become fused.