Septic hematogenous lumbar spondylodiscitis in elderly patients with multiple risk factors: efficacy of posterior stabilization and interbody fusion with iliac crest bone graft

Abstract

The conservative and operative treatment strategies of hematogenous spondylodiscitis in septic patients with multiple risk factors are controversial. The present series demonstrates the outcome of 18 elderly patients (median age, 72 years) with septic hematogenous spondylodiscitis and intraspinal abscess treated with microsurgical decompression and debridement of the infective tissue, followed by posterior stabilization and interbody fusion with iliac crest bone graft in one or two lumbar segments. The majority of the patients were unsuccessfully treated with intravenous antibiotics prior to the operation. Antibiotic therapy was continued for more than 6 weeks postoperatively. Morbidity and early mortality amounted to 50 and 17%, respectively. Three patients died in the hospital from internal complications after an initial postoperative improvement of the inflammatory clinical signs and laboratory parameters. Fifteen patients recovered from the spinal infection. Three of them died several months after discharge (cerebral hemorrhage, malignancy and unknown cause). Twelve patients had excellent or good outcomes during the follow-up period of at least 1 year. The series shows that operative decompression and eradication of the intraspinal and intervertebral infective tissue with fusion and stabilization via a posterior approach is possible in septic patients with multiple risk factors and leads to good results in those patients, who survive the initial severe stage of the septic disease. However, the morbidity and mortality suggest that this surgical treatment is not the therapy of first choice in high-risk septic patients, but may be considered in patients when conservative management has failed.