A new study published in Spine examines whether surgeons can insert spinal implants into patients with deep spine infections safely.
The study authors examined 84 patients with deep spine infections who underwent surgery at a major tertiary hospital over 14 years. There were 49 male patients and 35 female patients with the average age of 62 years old. The study authors found:
1. Osteomyelitis and spondylodiscitis was the most common form of infection, accounting for 69.4 percent of the infections.
2. The most common causative organism was staphylococcus aureus, which accounted for 61.2 percent of the infections.
3. Some of the patients were treated with antibiotics while others received antibiotics with debridement or antibiotics with debridement and instrumentation. There wasn't any difference in the reoperation or relapse rates for patients in all three groups.
4. The hospital mortality rate was lower for patients treated with antibiotics, debridement and instrumentation when compared with those who received just antibiotics as well as those with antibiotics and debridement.
5. The study authors concluded surgeons can safely insert spinal implants into infected spines.