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An unusual case infection following spinal surgery
P Tsitsopoulos1, C Tsonidis, E Tzardinoglu
1Department of B Neurosurgical, Medical School, Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece.
Journal of Neurosurgical Sciences
|April 1, 1988
Summary
A rare case of extensive subcutaneous infection developed four months after spinal surgery for lumbar stenosis. The infection involved gluteal abscesses communicating with the laminectomy wound, requiring surgical intervention.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- A patient underwent extensive laminectomy and foraminotomy for lumbar spinal stenosis at L3/L4 and L4/L5.
- This surgery aimed to address disc herniations and nerve compression.
Observation:
- Four months post-surgery, the patient developed bilateral gluteal abscesses, treated with surgical evacuation.
- Three months later, inflammation recurred with purulent infiltration of the laminectomy wound and recurrent abscesses.
Findings:
- Syringography revealed a communication between the gluteal abscesses and the laminectomy wound.
- Despite re-evacuation, inflammation persisted, indicating a complex infectious process.
Implications:
- Surgical reexploration of the laminectomy wound successfully treated the longstanding inflammation.
- Importantly, the infection did not spread into the intervertebral spaces, preserving spinal stability.