A Clinical Analysis of 22 Patients with Discitis

ABSTRACT

From March 1966 to July 1988, 22 patients were diagnosed as discitis among the 2106 operation with total or hemilaminectomy in Department of Neurosurgery of Catholic University Medical College. Main symptoms were severe low back(95%) and buttock pain(86%). Physical examination showed severe paravertebral spasm and tenderness. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was always elevated in all cases and averaged to 43 mm/hr. X-ray examination of the lumbar spine showed typical findings of decreased intervertebral space, subchondral sclerosis and bony fusion. In bacterial culture staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus epididymis were grown. Good long-term results were seen in all cases.