Evaluation of clinical outcomes of posterior decompression surgery in the treatment of spontaneous pyogenic thoracic-lumbar spondylodiscitis
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Abstract
Spontaneous pyogenic spondylodiscitis is a relatively uncommon spinal infection but can lead to severe neurological complications if diagnosis and treatment are delayed. In cases with neural compression, decompressive surgery plays a critical role. This retrospective descriptive case series included patients diagnosed with spontaneous spondylodiscitis who underwent decompressive laminectomy at Nguyen Tri Phuong Hospital between January 2020 and October 2023. Most patients were middle-aged or elderly and had multiple comorbidities. Back pain and neurological deficits were the most common presenting symptoms. Postoperatively, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores decreased, and neurological function improved significantly, with the majority of patients maintaining or improving their AIS grade at discharge and at 6-month follow-up. The rate of surgical complications was low. Early diagnosis and timely intervention contribute to improved treatment outcomes.
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Keywords
Spondylodiscitis, posterior decompression surgery, thoracolumbar spine
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