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Percutaneous management of pyogenic spondylodiscitis using absorbable antibiotic carrier (STIMULAN®): preliminary
Matteo Bellini1, Joshua Adam Hirsch2, Stefano Marcia3
1Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy.
Purpose:
This study evaluates the feasibility of using a fully resorbable antibiotic carrier (STIMULAN®, Rapid Cure, Biocomposites Ltd, UK) for the targeted treatment of spondylodiscitis (SD) through percutaneous injection directly into the infection site.
Material And Methods:
Between 2022 and 2024, 13 patients diagnosed with SD underwent percutaneous osteo-discal biopsy followed by intradiscal and intravertebral injection of tailored antibiotic-loaded calcium sulfate paste. Clinical assessments (VAS), laboratory markers (CRP and leukocyte counts), and MRI imaging were used to monitor outcomes up to 12 months.
Results:
The procedure achieved 100% technical success with no major complications. All patients showed significant symptom relief, with VAS scores decreasing from 8.2 at baseline to 3.5 at 12 months. Inflammatory markers improved consistently, particularly CRP, which dropped from 7.35 to 0.23 (p ≈ 0.00005).
Conclusions:
These findings suggest that STIMULAN® enables safe, effective local antibiotic delivery in SD, with meaningful clinical and biomarker improvements. Nonetheless, larger multicenter studies are needed to validate these preliminary results and assess long-term efficacy.
