Postoperative lumbar discitis, surgical vs conservative management, a retrospective study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 department of neurosurgery, faculty of medicine , mini university

2 neurosurgery unit , department of surgery , Faculty of Medicine , Minia university , Minia , Egypt

3 Department of neurosurgery, faculty of medicine, Minia university

Abstract

Introduction: Spondylodiscitis is a serious intervertebral disc infection that is uncommon but can have devastating effects. Patients under 20 and between 50 and 70 years old have the highest incidence. The annual incidence is between 0.4 and 2.5 per 100,000. Bloodstream infections (such Staphylococcus aureus) and post-operative complications are the two most common secondary causes of spondylodiscitis.



Aim of the work: Comparison between conservative therapy and fixation in post lumbar surgery spondylodiscitis

Patients and Methods: a retrospective study done on forty patients admitted in neurosurgery department at our hospital, 20 of them underwent surgical fixation while the remaining patients were treated conservatively.

Results: the first group was treated conservatively while the second group was treated by surgical fixation (80 % by pedicular screws and posterolateral fusion , while 20% had done PLIF) , Based on the Kirkaldy–Willis functional outcomes criteria 4 (20%), 6 (30), 2 (10%), 8 (40%) patients had excellent, good, fair and poor outcomes respectively in patients who were treated conservatively.

In patients treated surgically 13 (65%), 4 (20%), 2 (10%), 1 (5%) patients had excellent, good, fair and poor outcomes respectively.



Conclusion: surgical fixation for cases of postoperative lumbar spondylodiscitis gives better and faster results with better functional outcome than conservative management.

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Minia Journal of Medical Research

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 03 January 2024

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