Abstract
Spinal osteomyelitis has been known about for centuries. Granulomatous infection was the principal offender in the past, but nowadays, with an increased number of patients at 'risk', the proportion of pyogenic infections has risen. Awareness of this is the essence of early diagnosis. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging has proved a major milestone; with its high sensitivity and specificity, it is an essential part of the diagnostic work-up. The treatment of spinal osteomyelitis follows the same basic principles as for any infection. Once the diagnosis has been established, early conservative treatment is commenced. Debridement, drainage of any abscesses, spinal decompression and stabilization are options in surgical treatment. The successful use of metallic implants to achieve correction and stabilization is probably helped by good perfusion of the vertebral body and accompanying good soft tissue coverage. The eradication of infection is therefore still possible.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
