Diagnosis and treatment of spinal tuberculosis after liver transplantation.

Background: Spinal tuberculosis is a common disease in orthopedic clinical practice; however, it is seldom reported after organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of spinal tuberculosis after organ transplantation.

Method: Two cases were diagnosed as spinal tuberculosis after liver transplantation and were treated with socarboxazide, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol for more than one year.

Results: After treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs for several months, the symptoms of both patients clearly improved. Back pain disappeared, and erythrocyte sedimentation and body temperature returned to normal.

Conclusions: We should highly suspect spinal tuberculosis if notalgia and night sweats are present after organ transplantation. Anti-tuberculosis therapy is an effective treatment for spinal tuberculosis after organ transplantation.