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Infection of an Ankylosed Thoracolumbar Spine Segment: A Case Series
Ryunosuke Fukushi1,2, Satoshi Kawaguchi1, Daisuke Kudo3
1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Asahikawa Kosei General Hospital, Asahikawa, Japan.
Introduction:
Ankylosing spinal disorders present significant challenges in cases of trauma, and the treatment of ankylosed spine infections may also be challenging. However, to the best of our knowledge, only one study to date has addressed this topic, reporting a mortality rate of 62%.
Case Report:
Our patients were four men and one woman with a mean age of 72 years. Treatments consisted of intravenous antibiotics, a hard brace, and surgical interventions including percutaneous pedicle screw fixation in two patients, laminectomy and evacuation of the epidural abscess in one, and percutaneous lavage of the affected disc in two. The time from referral to intervention averaged 16 days. The mortality rate was 0% with healing of the infection with segmental bony fusion in four patients.
Conclusion:
This is the second reported case series of ankylosed spine infections. Early surgical intervention aimed at drainage or stabilization of the infectious lesions is crucial to disease control.
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