What is Spinal Osteomyelitis and Discitis?

They are infections of the vertebral body and disc space. They are like any other infection, slow growing and difficult to diagnose. Spinal infections are rare: 1/200,000 patients have infections of the spinal region. Patients that are most at risk are those who have other medical complications and/or drug abuse issues. (HIV/AIDS patients, continual steroid users, diabetes, etc.) Spinal infections can originate from infections that started in other parts of the body. Back pain with an infection of these kind should raise a patient's suspicion (not limited to these): endocaditis, dental abcess, any post operative wound, and UTIs.

Do Spinal Osteomyelitis and Discitis usually have symptoms? How are they diagnosed?

These infections are like any other infections. The symptoms are typical: headache, chills, pain - depending upon the location of the infection in the spine region. It takes multiple techniques to tell if an infection is located in the spine. Generally, a history and physical  is taken. Next, multiple MRI and/or CT scans are performed, and lastly sometimes a blood test is done.

 What are the treatment options for Spinal Osteomyelitis and Discitis?

Treatment options are simple. patients are perscibed antibiotics for 6-8 weeks, as long as the spine is not physically compromised and the individual is neurologically sound. In the past, if this option had been taken and no improvment was seen, the infection most-likely was proven fatal. Presently, surgical intervention has become a curative solution for spinal and disc space infections.

 What techniques are used to perform the surgery?

 Several minimally invasive techniques are used to address this issue. Direct lateral surgery or (DLIF) and Video-Assisted Thorascopic surgery (VATS) are two mininally invasive surgical techniques that are being used to aid in the removal of these infections. Vascualr Fibular Grafting are also being used to assist in the healing process and to replace infected necrotic bone that is removed during the procedures.