Management of Deep Wound Infection After Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion With Cages

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to analyze patients who developed deep wound infections after receiving PLIF for degenerative lumbar disease, and report the treatment outcomes. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: Few studies have examined deep wound infections after PLIF, and there is some controversy regarding whether screws or cages need to be removed to treat infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine cases(spinal stenosis 6, spondylolisthesis 3) developed a deep wound infection after PLIF from 2001 to 2007. The mean follow up was 48 months (24-72). The clinical results were evaluated using MacNab's criteria. RESULTS: The diagnosis of infection was made based on the clinical symptoms and signs, and inflammatory markers, such as ESR and CRP. The time to diagnosis was less than one week (2), three weeks (2), six weeks (1) and three months or more (4). Bacterial identification was performed on seven cases. MRSA was detected in one of them, and no bacteria were identified in the other six. In two of them, the infection subsided with antibiotic therapy only. In 7 cases, removal of the cage and anterior iliac strut graft was needed for infection control. In four cases, loosened screws were removed during debridement. In 2 cases, additional surgery for pseudarthrosis was required after curing the infection. CONCLUSIONS: In deep infections after PLIF, early diagnosis and bacterial identification are important for reducing the need for a later radical operation. It is recommended that blood markers of infection be measured with a short follow-up period. In a case of persistent infection against prolonged antibiotics, removal of the cage or screw is needed to treat the infection earlier.

Monitoring for Deep Wound Infection after Thoracolumbar Surgery Significance of Suction Drainage Tip Culture for Early Detection of Postoperative Deep Wound Infection / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the usefulness of postoperative suction drainage tip cultures as a method of predicting the development of deep wound infections after thoracolumbar surgery using pedicle screws. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: The primary diagnostic elements of post-operative spinal infections are a high degree of clinical suspicion by the surgeon combined with aspiration and culture of the suspected infection sites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the results of cultures on postoperative suction drainage tips from a total of 471 thoracolumbar surgery cases. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value and investigated the isolated pathogens. In addition, we performed quantitative analyses of serum C-reactive protein using Turbidimetry. RESULTS: The post-operative infection rate was 4.0%. The most common isolated pathogen of the true positive cases was staphylococcus aureus, which was found in 3 cases (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in 2 cases); and that of the false positive cases was coagulase-negative staphylococcus in 5 cases. The sensitivity of the suction drainage tip culture was 52.6%, the specificity was 96.3%, the positive predictive value was 37.0%, and the negative predictive value was 98.0%. In cases of C-reactive protein, true positive and false negative cases followed the same course, where the CRP decreased slowly for the first week but remained elevated persistently at the 14th postoperative day. CONCLUSIONS: Culture of the suction drainage tips could not predict the development of postoperative deep wound infections, but it had more significance in the exclusion of deep wound infections. We concluded that careful observation for other signs of deep wound infections are necessary when a clinically significant pathogens are isolated.

Deep Wound Infection after Lumbar Spine Fusion with Pedicular Screw Fixation / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. OBJECTIVE: To define the preoperative risk factors for postoperative deep wound infection of instrumented spine and to analyze treatment modality and its result. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: When there have been postoperative deep wound infection after pedicular screw fixation of lumbar spine. there have been controversies, which was appropriate time of implants removal. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1991 to December 1997, we performed 582 cases of posterior instrumentation using pedicular screws. We reviewed retrospectively seven cases who had suffered from postoperative wound infection in our hospital, and three referral cases from other hospitals. RESULTS: Six of ten cases have been exposed significant preoperative risk factors(i. e., diabetes, old age, malnutrition, concomitant infection, obesity, etc.). Infections was diagnosed at an average of 12.3 days after operation with fever & wound drainage as the most common presenting feature. Patients underwent prompt incision & drainage, susceptible antibiotics, multiple debride-ments(average: 1.77, range: 1-3). Seven of ten cases underwent removal of implant finally. At follow up evaluation, all cases except one had no recurrence of infection. But five cases showed pseudarthrosis. Four (80%) of them underwent removal of implant within 1 year after operation. Clinical results by criteria of Kirkaldy-Willis were 2 Good's, 7 Fair's and 1 Poor. CONCLUSION: Postoperative deep wound infection after pedicular screw fixation of lumbar spine leads to poor result. Especially early removal of implant within 1 year after operation was followed by pseudarthosis.