Pyogenic spondylitis. Analysis of three surgically treated cases

During a period of 10 years (1964--1973) three patients developing pyogenic spondylitis were operated on. The patients suffered from severe localized back pain and showed sings of infection, as elevation of temperature and raised ESR. The earliest radiological changes were diagnosed on the average after 3 months. As treatment with antibiotics could not cure the infection, the patients were operated on by evacuation of a vertebral focus, and this measure was complemented with bone transplantation. All patients were cured from the fulminant spondylitis, and two of them returned to regular work. No recurrence was noted during an observation period averaging 8 years. Surgery seems to be indicated in some cases of nonspecific spondylitis, especially when a paravertebral spread of the infection is recorded and antibiotic treatment does not primarily show sufficient effect.