[Diagnosis and conservative therapy of cervical spondylitis]

We report diagnostic procedures and conservative therapy of eight patients suffering from unspecific bacterial cervical spondylitis. In three cases an infection of the craniocervical junction occurred. In addition to the clinical examination the diagnosis was made by the help of a serological examination, conventional radiographs, radioisotopes scannings and tomograms (CT and MRI). In all cases therapy was conservative because of absence of neurological symptoms. For immobilization a halo-west was used. Intravenous and oral antibiotics were applied according to antibiogram. In five cases an osseous fusion was achieved, six out of eight patients had no more complaints. The malposition of the concerned segment increased in one case, in a further case a post-arthritic arthrosis evolved.