To investigate clinical outcome scores in surgically treated patients with either spontaneous or postoperative pyogenic spondylodiscitis after 3, 12 and 24 month.

70 consecutive patients (mean age 64y; male n=33 female n=27) underwent surgical treatment due to pyogenic spondylodiscitis with or without epidural abscess at our department from 2011 to 2013. We performed either microsurgical debridement or debridement in combination with ventral support employing dorsally instrumented spondylodesis followed by bracing and antibiotic therapy up to 12 weeks. European life quality score (EQ-5D), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and visual analogue scale for pain (VAS) were recorded 3, 12 and 24 month after surgery. Length of hospital stay (LOS) was 25,3 days.

The Mean time to presentation at our spine center and diagnosis was 3,8 weeks. Distribution of inflammation was lumbar in 66 (94%) and thoracic in 4 (6%) patients. Thirtyfour patients (49%) had isolated spondylodiscitis (SD). Epidural abscess (ED) was found in 26 patients (37%). Ten patients (14%) showed a combination of SD and ED. SD or ED were predominantly found after previous surgery at the same or contiguous level 38 (54%). Nine patients (13%) suffered from ED or SD after previous lumbar epidural steroid injections (LESI). Spontaneous idiopathic inflammation was found only in 13 cases (19%).

Standardized follow-up (FU) protocol was scheduled at 3, 12, and 24 month. FU rate was 60%. Healing of the inflammation was the rule.

In our study cumulative EQ-5D increased from 0.47 to 0,80. ODI decreased from 41.1 to 24.3 and VAS concerning back pain decreased from 58.4 to 22.6 VAS according sciatica decreased from 46.8 to 20.5.

Due to an increasing number of spine surgeries and spinal interventions as well as the increasing age and morbidity of patients, spinal surgeons have to deal more often with the diagnosis pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Standardized conservative or radical surgical treatment strategies in order to achieve good results according to patients life quality are gaining more importance.