ArticleInternational journal of spine surgery2023
Posterior Fixation Without Debridement for Vertebral Body Osteomyelitis and Discitis: A 10-Year Retrospective Review.
Article in International journal of spine surgery, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.
- Recommendations of the International Consensus Meeting (ICM) 2025 on Spinal Infections: Part A Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis.Global spine journal · 2026Article
- Medical versus surgical treatment of spondylodiscitis: does surgery spare resources?Neurosurgical review · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSurgical treatment of vertebral osteomyelitis, discitis, and epidural abscesses is indicated in the setting of failure of antibiotic therapy, neurological deficits, epidural abscess, or spinal instability/deformity. Historically, surgical treatment mandated aggressive debridement and spinal stabilization. However, there is growing evidence that direct debridement may not be necessary and may contribute to morbidity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of posterior instrumentation without debridement in treating spinal infections.
methodsA retrospective medical record review was performed to identify patients treated with posterior instrumentation for spontaneous spinal infections. Success of treatment was determined based on postoperative ambulatory status, surgical complications, and need for revision surgery.
resultsTwenty-seven patients treated with posterior-only long-segmented rigid fixation without formal debridement of infected material were included. The most common indications for surgical intervention included spinal instability (67%), neurologic compromise (67%), and failure of prolonged antibiotic treatment (63%). There were no recurrent deep infections in 21 of 22 patients who had long-term follow-up. Four patients required revision surgery, and 3 additional patients requested elective hardware removal. Postoperatively, 70% were ambulatory with no assistive devices postoperatively.
conclusionsVertebral osteomyelitis/discitis are challenging medical problems. Single-stage long-segment fusion without formal debridement combined with antibiotics is effective in the management of spontaneous spinal infections. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The present study suggests that acute instrumentation without anterior debridement is associated with a resolution of infection and improvements in neurologic deficits in patient with spontaneous spine infections. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4:
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