[Complications of the anterior surgical approach for thoracolumbar spine tuberculosis: causes and countermeasures].

Objective: To assess the effect of the anterior surgical approach for thoracolumbar spine tuberculosis and analyzed the causes of the surgical complications and the countermeasures.

Methods: From Jan 1996 to Dec 2005, 120 patients with thoracolumbar spine tuberculosis underwent operations through the anterior approach either following the primary diagnosis (115 cases) or for recurrence (5 cases).

Results: Intraoperative pleural rupture occurred in 4 cases, and rupture of the external iliac vein occurred 1 case.