» Articles » PMID: 30574436

Postoperative Spine Infection: Diagnosis and Management

Overview
Journal Global Spine J
Publisher Sage Publications
Date 2018 Dec 22
PMID 30574436
Citations 30
Authors
Affiliations
Soon will be listed here.
Abstract

Study Design: Review article.

Objectives: A review of the literature on postoperative spinal infections, their diagnosis, and management.

Methods: A systematic computerized Medline literature search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and EMBASE. The electronic databases were searched for publication dates from the last 10 years. The searches were performed from Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) used by the National Library of Medicine. Specifically, MeSH terms "spine," "infections," "management," and "diagnosis" were used.

Results: Currently, the gold standard for diagnosis of postoperative spine infection is positive deep wound culture. Many of the current radiologic and laboratory tests can assist with the initial diagnosis and monitoring treatment response. Currently erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance imaging with and without contrast are used in combination to establish diagnosis. Management of postoperative spine infection involves thorough surgical debridement and targeted antibiotic therapy.

Conclusions: Postoperative spine infection is a not uncommon complication following surgery that may have devastating consequences for a patient's short- and long-term health. A high index of suspicion is needed to make an early diagnosis.

Citing Articles

Prevalence of Spin in Reviews on Intrawound Application of Vancomycin for Surgical Site Prophylaxis in Spine Surgery.

Telang S, Podosin M, Fathi A, Kotlier J, Feingold C, Alluri R Global Spine J. 2025; :21925682251322427.

PMID: 39971920 PMC: 11840825. DOI: 10.1177/21925682251322427.


First Clinical Evidence About the Use of a New Silver-Coated Titanium Alloy Instrumentation to Counteract Surgical Site Infection at the Spine Level.

Leggi L, Terzi S, Sartori M, Salamanna F, Boriani L, Asunis E J Funct Biomater. 2025; 16(1).

PMID: 39852586 PMC: 11766446. DOI: 10.3390/jfb16010030.


Citrobacter youngae nosocomial bacteremia from postoperative pyogenic spondylodiscitis after a minimally invasive spinal surgery.

Thau N, Van Dong D, Nhan P, Van Tuan N, Sang V BMC Infect Dis. 2024; 24(1):1409.

PMID: 39696001 PMC: 11653738. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-10326-y.


Early Intervention in Post-operative Infectious Spondylodiscitis: Outcome of Aggressive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Krishnan A, Dave B, Degulmadi D, Mayi S, Rai R, Bang P Malays Orthop J. 2024; 18(3):16-26.

PMID: 39691573 PMC: 11647542. DOI: 10.5704/MOJ.2411.003.


Predicting Surgical Site Infections in Spine Surgery: Association of Postoperative Lymphocyte Reduction.

Miyamoto A, Tanaka M, Flores A, Yu D, Jain M, Heng C Diagnostics (Basel). 2024; 14(23).

PMID: 39682623 PMC: 11640511. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14232715.


References
1.
Clark C, Shufflebarger H . Late-developing infection in instrumented idiopathic scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1999; 24(18):1909-12. DOI: 10.1097/00007632-199909150-00008. View

2.
Brown E, Pople I, de Louvois J, Hedges A, Bayston R, Eisenstein S . Spine update: prevention of postoperative infection in patients undergoing spinal surgery. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004; 29(8):938-45. DOI: 10.1097/00007632-200404150-00023. View

3.
Beiner J, Grauer J, Kwon B, Vaccaro A . Postoperative wound infections of the spine. Neurosurg Focus. 2004; 15(3):E14. DOI: 10.3171/foc.2003.15.3.14. View

4.
Kowalski T, Berbari E, Huddleston P, Steckelberg J, Mandrekar J, Osmon D . The management and outcome of spinal implant infections: contemporary retrospective cohort study. Clin Infect Dis. 2007; 44(7):913-20. DOI: 10.1086/512194. View

5.
Chaudhary S, Vives M, Basra S, Reiter M . Postoperative spinal wound infections and postprocedural diskitis. J Spinal Cord Med. 2007; 30(5):441-51. PMC: 2141723. DOI: 10.1080/10790268.2007.11753476. View