gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Cervical spondylodiscitis is a quite rare finding when compared to the number and the common location of spinal abscesses in the lumbar region. While in thoracic and lumbar discitis, single step surgery with discitis decompression, disc space evacuation and subsequent fusion is well known, there is no such report in cervical discitis. Here the authors present their experience with ventral PEEK-Cage fusion in cervical spondylodiscitis in a single-step procedure.

Methods: Between January 2006 and November 2008, five patients suffering from cervical spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess underwent disc evacuation, myelon decompression and subsequent ventral fusion using a PEEK-cage disc replacement in one single setting. All five patients presented with significant neurological symptoms like cervicobrachialgia, para- or tetraparesis and disturbance of the urinary continence.

Results: In all five patients (three men, two women; age 67, 71, 77, 58, 66y), disc evacuation, myelon decompression and cervical fusion using a PEEK-cage disc replacement as a single stage surgery were performed. All wounds were closed primarily. Postoperatively, all patients received a specific antibiotic therapy for at least six weeks. This proceeding was successful in all patients with respect to clinical signs, laboratory parameters and radiological morphology. No revisions had to be performed; no complications were observed.

Conclusions: In all, abscess drainage and ventral fusion with PEEK-cage disc replacement in one single setting was proven to be a successful treatment option in cervical discitis and spinal epidural abscess.