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Updated: May 22, 2026
Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Human Brucellar Spondylodiscitis
Published on: May 23, 2021
Posterior interbody grafting and instrumentation for spondylodiscitis
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Elisabeth-Klinik Bigge/Olsberg, Olsberg, Germany. s.endres@elisabeth-klinik.de
Purpose:
To report outcomes of 7 patients with bacterial spondylodiscitis treated through a posterior approach.
Methods:
Five men and 2 women aged 40 to 80 years underwent one-stage posterior interbody debridement and instrumentation for single-segment bacterial spondylodiscitis of lumbar (n=5) or thoracic (n=2) vertebrae. The Oswestry Disability Score, the Frankel classification, the Cobb angle, and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain as well as bone union on radiographs were assessed.
Results:
Patients were followed up for 19 to 36 months. None had relapses or complications. Postoperatively, 5 patients had no pain or used analgesics only occasionally; their VAS scores varied from 0 to 20. The remaining 2 patients had residual symptoms and received regular peripheral pain medication and opiates; their VAS scores ranged from 30 to 50. The mean Oswestry Disability Score improved to 21 (range, 12-38). The mean Cobb angle improved from 13.1 to 11.1 degrees. The segments were probably fused in 5 patients and questionable in 2.
Conclusion:
Posterior debridement and instrumentation was adequate for single-segment spondylodiscitis and achieved good outcomes.
