Postoperative spondylodiscitis in patients from Las Tunas

• Main Author: Henry López Jimenez
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Las Tunas 2017-11-01
• Series: Revista Electrónica Dr. Zoilo E. Marinello Vidaurreta
• Subjects: discitis; intervertebral disc; osteomyelitis; spinal infection
• Online Access: http://revzoilomarinello.sld.cu/index.php/zmv/article/view/1206

<p><strong>Background</strong>: the incidence of septic discitis after a minimally invasive or conventional surgery is a rare complication, but devastating due to its important sequelae. Its diagnosis is often erroneous or delayed, due to errors in the interpretation of symptoms and the physical examination.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Objective</strong>: to describe post-surgical discitis in patients attended to at the "Dr. Ernesto Guevara de la Serna" General Teaching Hospital of Las Tunas, from January 2005 to January 2016.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Methods</strong>: a descriptive and prospective observational study was carried out in the aforementioned hospital and during the period of time herein declared. The sample consisted of 39 patients admitted with a diagnosis of postoperative discitis. The data were processed by means of descriptive statistics, using the percentage value to report the results.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Results</strong>: post-surgical discitis predominated in females, in those older than 50 years of age and the most frequent location was the lumbar spine. C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and evidence in magnetic resonance imaging were the most positive diagnostic tests. Threw was a prevalence of conservative treatment, as well as the use of vancomycin with ceftriaxone and ciprofloxacin and the combination of parenteral and oral routes.<strong></strong></p><p><strong>Conclusions</strong>: aspects of post-surgical discitis in the sample of patients included during the eleven years of the study were described.<strong></strong></p>