Prognosis of spinal infections managed by minimal debridement: A case series in two tertiary centers

Spinal infections can be challenging in their management and include spondylitis, epidural abscess, and spondylodiscitis. Usual treatment is conservative through antimicrobials or surgery to decompress neural tissue, debride all infected tissues, and fix if needed. We propose the concept of surgery without formal debridement aiming at neural protection.

The study was performed at two tertiary centers on 25 patients with clinical findings. One patient was treated conservatively and the rest surgically by laminectomy and fixation if needed. Evacuation of fluid pus was performed. In the cervical and the thoracic region, if the granulation tissue was anterior to the cord, only decompression by laminectomy was done.

Low back pain was present in 22 cases (88%), 16 cases (64%) had lower limb pain, and 12 cases (48%) had weakness. The level of spinal infection was lumbar in 15 cases (60%), thoracic in 9 cases (36%) cases, and cervical in 1 case (4%). The type of infection was epidural abscess in 20 cases (80%), discitis in 16 cases (64%), and vertebral osteomyelitis in 12 cases (48%). Laminectomy was performed in 20 cases (80%) and fixation in 17 cases (68%). The symptoms improved in all cases. On follow-up, the lesion was reduced in 14 patients (56%) and disappeared in 11 cases (44%). One case required ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement due to postinfectious hydrocephalus.

Dealing with spinal infections surgically through decompression or fixation with minimal debridement of infected tissue appears to be a safe and effective method of management.