Treatment Of Spondylodiscitis, Epidural Abscess And Spondylitis – A Retrospective Study Of 20 Cases With Exclusion Of TB Cases

Abstract

A retrospective study of 20 patients treated in our institution who were diagnosed with spondylodiscitis or epidural abscess or spondylitis were reported. Most of our patients underwent surgical treatment by posterior approach for thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and one patient by anterior approach for cervical vertebrae with iliac crest grafting and they were followed up regularly until complete recovery. Clinical outcomes were assessed. Out of 20 patients, 9 patients were diagnosed with both spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess, 7 patients with spondylodiscitis alone, 2 patients with spondylitis and 2 patients with epidural abscess alone. Finally 18 patients were diagnosed as culture positive pyogenic infection including 2 patients with fungal infection and remaining 2 patients with no organisms grown in culture. Pathogens responsible were Staphylococcus aureus (11 patients), Escherichia coli (2 patients), Aspergillus species (2 patients), Pseudomonas species (2 patients) and Salmonella enteritidis (1 patient). Fourteen patients with lumbar involvement, five patients with thoracic involvement and one patient with cervical involvement were identified. 7 patients had pre-operative neurological deficits and all of them improved postoperatively.