• Stefan Endres and Axel Wilke.
• Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Elisabeth-Klinik Bigge/Olsberg, Olsberg, Germany. s.endres@elisabeth-klinik.de
• J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2012 Apr 1; 20 (1): 1-6.

PurposeTo report outcomes of 7 patients with bacterial spondylodiscitis treated through a posterior approach.MethodsFive men and 2 women aged 40 to 80 years underwent one-stage posterior interbody debridement and instrumentation for single-segment bacterial spondylodiscitis of lumbar (n=5) or thoracic (n=2) vertebrae. The Oswestry Disability Score, the Frankel classification, the Cobb angle, and the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain as well as bone union on radiographs were assessed.ResultsPatients were followed up for 19 to 36 months. None had relapses or complications. Postoperatively, 5 patients had no pain or used analgesics only occasionally; their VAS scores varied from 0 to 20. The remaining 2 patients had residual symptoms and received regular peripheral pain medication and opiates; their VAS scores ranged from 30 to 50. The mean Oswestry Disability Score improved to 21 (range, 12-38). The mean Cobb angle improved from 13.1 to 11.1 degrees. The segments were probably fused in 5 patients and questionable in 2.ConclusionPosterior debridement and instrumentation was adequate for single-segment spondylodiscitis and achieved good outcomes.

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