The features and treatment of pyogenic spndilitis have recently been changing with the increase of elder people and immunocompromised hosts.
We analyzed prospectively 13 patients who had pyogenic spondilitis. We treated 7 patients by conservative treatment and 6 patients by operative treatment. The mean age of our cases was 59y/o. The 8 patients (53%) were immunocompromised hosts.
For the latest 2 cases, we treated by minimally invasive spine surgery because of their poor conditions. One had the curettage of two discs and washout of the huge epidural abcess from the posterior approach. The other had disc curettage of T5/6 using VATS. (Video Associated Thoracic Surgery)
At the last follow-up, the recurrence of spondilitis occurred in only one patient. We emphasize that minimal invasive treatment of pyogenic spondilitis is useful for immunocompromised hosts and elder patients.
