Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis Following Nonspinal Cesarean Section

Pyogenic spondylodiscitis is an uncommon bacterial infection of the intervertebral disc and the vertebral endplates. It usually affects elderly patients with comorbidities but may be also seen after surgical procedures in young patients, mostly after spinal interventions and genitourinary procedures. This article describes a rare case of pyogenic spondylodiscitis in a young female patient after a cesarean section without spinal anesthesia. The patient presented with a three-month history of lower back pain, and the inflammatory markers were elevated. The magnetic resonance imaging showed the involvement of the L5-S1 disc space and the adjacent vertebral bodies. The diagnosis was confirmed with needle aspiration of purulent material. The patient was treated with antibiotics for a total of six weeks. After a follow-up of about one year, the patient showed slight degenerative vertebral changes with no signs of residual infection. This case highlights the importance of the early recognition of pyogenic spondylodiscitis as one cause of postoperative back pain after urogenital procedures, even without spinal anesthesia. Only a few similar cases were reported in the literature.