Treatment of post operative lumbar discitis

ABSTRACT

Between 1993 and 1998, 34 patients with postoperative lumbar discitis were treated at Assiut University Hospital. These patients had lumbar discectomy done at one level, 15 cases at Assiut University Hospital and the other 19 cases had their surgery performed at district hospitals. Twenty-four cases were treated conservatively and 10 were treated surgically by anterior debridement and fusion. The follow up period ranged between 2 and 5 years with an average of 3.5 years. The clinical results were very good and good in 29 cases and fair in 3 patients. Two cases treated conservatively were lost to follow-up. There was no statistical significant difference between the conservatively and surgically treated groups as regards the overall result at the latest follow-up, but the complications were higher in the surgical group