• About
  • Masthead
  • License Content
  • Advertise
  • Submit Press Release
  • RSS/Email List
  • Write for us
  • Contact us
2 Minute Medicine
No Result
View All Result

No products in the cart.

SUBSCRIBE
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
2 Minute Medicine
  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • AccountLog-in/out
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account
SUBSCRIBE
2 Minute Medicine
Subscribe
Home All Specialties Infectious Disease

Three months of antibiotics appear to effectively treat early-onset spinal implant infections

bys25qthea
November 28, 2012
in Infectious Disease, Surgery
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Image: PD 

Key study points: 

1. Treating early-onset spinal implant infections with early debridement and a three month course of antibiotics yielded a 2-year survival rate of 88%.

2.  This study was non-comparative, and did not clearly demonstrate equal or superior efficacy to other therapeutic options such as hardware removal and longer antibiotic courses.

Primer: Early-onset orthopedic hardware infections occur < 3 months after surgery and are most often caused by Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative rods.

Therapy for these infections typically includes removal of the hardware device, debridement, and long-term antibiotic therapy. For instances in which the hardware is retained, many advocate treatment with parenteral antibiotics for 6 weeks followed by 3-6 months of oral therapy.  Such treatments can cause a great deal of morbidity, and thus the duration and modality of antibiotics remain controversial.

As the spine is well vascularized and well penetrated by antibiotics, shortening the duration of antibiotics is a rational course of action.

RELATED REPORTS

The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine®: Endometriosis Awareness Month, OnlineMedEd Charges, Canadian Grocery Store Controversy, BetterHelp’s Privacy Concerns

Post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disorders may exhibit a bi-directional relationship in U.S military members

Similar perinatal outcomes observed amongst conception via natural and assisted reproductive means

This study’s authors therefore investigated the efficacy and safety of a shorter antibiotic course for early-onset spinal infections combined with debridement and hardware retention.  

Background reading:

1.  The Management and Outcome of Spinal Implant Infections: Contemporary Retrospective Cohort Study.
2.  The diagnosis and management of infection following instrumented spinal fusion.

This [prospective] study recruited 50 patients from a single hospital specializing in complex spinal surgery.  Patients were included if they were > 16 years old and had evidence of deep infections arising within 30 days after spinal surgery.  All patients were quickly debrided, with necrotic and infected tissue excised and washed.  Antibiotics were initiated during debridement surgery and consisted of 2 weeks of either empiric anti-staphylococcal agents or regimens tailored to the susceptibility of an isolated pathogen.  After 2 weeks, patients were switched to 10 additional weeks of oral therapy unless intravenous antibiotics were required due to susceptibility.  At a follow-up time of 2 years, 44 patients (88%) were cured with no reinfection or relapse, 3 patients died of unrelated causes, and 3 patients experienced reinfection or relapse.  81% of infections were caused by Staphylococcus aureus, of which 6% were methicillin resistant.

In sum:  This study demonstrates the efficacy of early debridement and a 3-month course of antibiotic therapy in early-onset spinal implant infections.  The cure rate of 88% is comparable to other treatment options that yielded cure rates of around 70%.  However, this study was non-comparative and several factors could have misrepresented the results.  First, this center specialized in spinal surgery; therefore the timeliness and quality of the surgery and debridements may not be generalizable on the large scale.  Additionally, the percentage of resistant pathogens in this study was low and may have played a role in the favorable results of the study.

Click to read the study in CID

By [AS] and [MP] 

© 2012 2minutemedicine.com. All rights reserved. No works may be reproduced without written consent from 2minutemedicine.com. Disclaimer: We present factual information directly from peer reviewed medical journals. No post should be construed as medical advice and is not intended as such by the authors or by 2minutemedicine.com. PLEASE SEE A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IN YOUR AREA IF YOU SEEK MEDICAL ADVICE OF ANY SORT.  

Previous Post

[Researcher Comment] Whole-genome sequencing helps halt MRSA bacterial outbreak

Next Post

Patient age & benefit of PCI vs CABG: PCI better outcomes for younger patients, CABG better outcomes for older patients

RelatedReports

The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine®:  Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, Taylor Swift, NBA rookie Chet Holmgren and Magic Mushrooms!
The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine®

The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine®: Endometriosis Awareness Month, OnlineMedEd Charges, Canadian Grocery Store Controversy, BetterHelp’s Privacy Concerns

March 21, 2023
MRI reveals evolution of cerebral microhemorrhages in traumatic brain injury
Chronic Disease

Post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disorders may exhibit a bi-directional relationship in U.S military members

March 21, 2023
Increasing C-section room temperature linked to reduced neonatal, maternal hypothermia
Obstetrics

Similar perinatal outcomes observed amongst conception via natural and assisted reproductive means

March 20, 2023
Oral amoxicillin as effective as injectable benzylpenicillin-gentamicin for infants with infection in which referral not possible [AFRINEST Trial]
Infectious Disease

Combination doxycycline and azithromycin therapy effective in treating severe scrub typhus

March 20, 2023
Next Post

Patient age & benefit of PCI vs CABG: PCI better outcomes for younger patients, CABG better outcomes for older patients

Patient age & benefit of PCI vs CABG: PCI better outcomes for younger patients, CABG better outcomes for older patients

ADHD medication decreases rates of criminality in ADHD patients

License Our Award-Winning Physician-Written Medical News and Visual Abstracts

2 Minute Medicine is the leading authoritative medical news licensing service, and the only with reports written by practicing doctors.

LICENSE CONTENT

2MM+ Premium Access

No ads & unlimited access to all current reports, over 9000 searchable archived reports, visual abstracts, Weekly Rewinds, and the online edition of The Classics Series™ textbook.

Subscription Options
2 Minute Medicine

2 Minute Medicine® is an award winning, physician-run, expert medical media company. Our content is curated, written and edited by practicing health professionals who have clinical and scientific expertise in their field of reporting. Our editorial management team is comprised of highly-trained MD physicians. Join numerous brands, companies, and hospitals who trust our licensed content.

Recent Reports

  • The Scan by 2 Minute Medicine®: Endometriosis Awareness Month, OnlineMedEd Charges, Canadian Grocery Store Controversy, BetterHelp’s Privacy Concerns
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disorders may exhibit a bi-directional relationship in U.S military members
  • Similar perinatal outcomes observed amongst conception via natural and assisted reproductive means
License Content
Terms of Use | Disclaimer
Cookie Policy
Privacy Statement (EU)
Disclaimer

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

  • Specialties
    • Cardiology
    • Chronic Disease
    • Dermatology
    • Emergency
    • Endocrinology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Imaging and Intervention
    • Infectious Disease
    • Nephrology
    • Neurology
    • Obstetrics
    • Oncology
    • Ophthalmology
    • Pediatrics
    • Preclinical
    • Psychiatry
    • Public Health
    • Pulmonology
    • Rheumatology
    • Surgery
  • The Scan
  • Wellness
  • Classics™
    • 2MM+ Online Access
    • Paperback and Ebook
  • Rewinds
  • Visual
  • Partners
    • License Content
    • Submit Press Release
    • Advertise with Us
  • Account
    • Subscribe
    • Sign-in
    • My account

© 2021 2 Minute Medicine, Inc. - Physician-written medical news.

Want more physician-written
medical news?

Join over 10 million yearly readers and numerous companies. For healthcare professionals
and the public.

Subscribe for free today!

Subscription options