Prevalence of Discitis post Lumbar Endoscopic Discectomy

摘要

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of 109 patients who underwent lumbar endoscopic discectomies. Objectives: To determine the rate of discitis associated with lumbar endoscopic discectomies and whether or not preoperative antibiotics decreased the infection rate. Summary of Background Data: There are no studies that list the degree of discitis post lumbar endoscopic discectomies. Methods: 109 patients underwent lumbar endoscopic discectomies. Half of the patients received preoperative antibiotics and the other half received nothing. Any patient with severe back pain and having elevated erythrocyte sedimentary rates or elevated C-reactive proteins were deemed to have discitis.Results: 3 out of 109 patients developed discitis. 2 patients did not receive preoperative antibiotics and one patient did receive preoperative antibiotics.Conclusions: Discitis after lumbar endoscopic discectomies occurs in 2-3% of patients. Preoperative antibiotics may offer some assistance in reducing the overall rate of infections but a larger sampling is needed to confirm this claim.