J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  1995 Mar;24(3):239-245.

Clinical Analysis and Long-term Results of Postoperative Lumbar Discitis

• Chung JT
• Kim TS
• Lim YJ
• Kim GK
• Rhee BA
• Leem W

Abstract

Discitis is a rare complication of disc surgery. During a 8-year-period, 1765 patients were operated for lumbar disc herniation and 28 patients(1.6%) developed postoperative discitis. The characteristic symptoms were severe back pain(75%) and muscle spasm(64%). The laboratory findings were an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate(93%) and mildly elevated white blood cell count(54%). In bacterial culture, staphylococcus aureus in three cases and Streptococcus epidermidis in one were grown. Typical radiographic findings were narrowing of the disc space and end-plate resorption. There was a high incidence of chronic low back pain in the patients with discitis at long-term follow up. We recommended treatment with both immobilization of the spine and the administration of appropriate antibiotics for more than 6 weeks.

Keyword

Discitis; Erythrocyte sedimentation rate; Chronic low back pain

MeSH Terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Blood Sedimentation
Discitis*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Immobilization
Incidence
Leukocytes
Low Back Pain
Spine
Staphylococcus aureus
Streptococcus
Anti-Bacterial Agents