Prognosis of deep infection in spinal surgery using implants, treated by retention, removal of bone graft and lengthy antibiotherapy

Surgical Site Infection Management following Spinal Instrumentation Surgery: Implant Removal vs. Implant Retention: an Updated Systematical Review

Background

The number of lumbar spine surgery increased in recent years. Spinal instrumentation surgery was an integral component in the treatment of spinal pathologies, which can cause surgical site infection (SSI). Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity after spinal instrumentation surgery. The management of SSI was implant retention and removal is still unclear.

Objective

The objective of this literature is to systematically review the implant removal and retention method for SSI management after spinal instrumentation surgery.

Methods

We searched in PubMed and ScienceDirect for cohort and randomized control trial studies in English, published between 2002 and 2022, which had data on patients with spinal instrumentation surgery. The underlying disease, comorbidities, common bacteria, type of infection, the onset of infection, implant removal, and retention percentage and recommendation were analyzed. Bias analysis using Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment.

Results

We included 15 studies with a total sample were 2.584 with an average of age 15 to 66 years old. The most common organism detected were S. Aureus, MRSA, and S. Epidermis. The most common surgical procedure indications were degenerative followed by scoliosis. Implant removal and retention rate were 0-100% and 0-90,32% respectively. Implant removal is more frequently used in patients after spinal instrumentation surgery than the implant retention method.

Conclusion

Implant retention can be performed in case of SSI is < 3 months after surgery. Implant removal is recommended if the incidence of SSI is > 3 months. Empirical antibiotics therapy is necessary to reduce the possibility of implant removal after debridement. Further studies on the effect of implant removal and retention in patients on infection recurrence, pain, and quality of life of patients are needed.

Implant Retention or Removal for Management of Surgical Site Infection After Spinal Surgery

STUDY DESIGN

A literature review.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the implant removal rate, common bacterial organisms found, time of onset, ratio of superficial to deep infection, and regurgitating the prevalence among all the retrospective and prospective studies on management and characterization of surgical site infections (SSIs).

METHODS

PubMed was searched for articles published between 2000 and 2018 on the management or characterization of SSIs after spinal surgery. Only prospective and retrospective studies were included.

RESULTS

A total of 49 articles were found relevant to the objective. These studies highlighted the importance of implant removal to avoid recurrence of SSI. The common organisms detected were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus epidermis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Propionibacterium acnes, with prevalence of 1% to 15%. A major proportion of all were deep SSI, with minority reporting on late-onset SSI.

CONCLUSION

Long-term antibiotics administration, and continuous irrigation and debridement were common suggestion among the authors; however, the key measure undertaken or implied by most authors to avoid risk of recurrence was removal or replacement of implants for late-onset SSI.