Indolent Infection After Lumbar Interbody Fusion: An Under-recognized Cause of Pseudarthrosis, Which Can Be Successfully Treated With Anterior Revision Fusion

Introduction:

Bacterial infection is a common etiology for pseudarthrosis after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, although it is often difficult to identify because of a delayed presentation and normal laboratory values. The primary goal of this study was to present a series of cases demonstrating patients with infection-related pseudarthrosis successfully managed with anterior revision.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed patients presenting to a single academic spine center who were found to have evidence of Cutibacterium acnes or coagulase-negative Staphylococcus infection on routine culturing of lumbar interbody fusion revisions from July 2019 to January 2021. All patients underwent salvage of a transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion pseudarthrosis through an anterior lumbar approach.

Results:

A total of six patients managed for pseudarthrosis secondary to suspected infection were eligible for this study (mean age 64.8 years, range 54-70 years; mean body mass index, range 24.5-39.1). Persistent radiculopathy was the primary presenting symptom in all patients with a mean time to revision of 17 months. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the primary pathogen, identified from intraoperative samples in 50% of the cases. All patients demonstrated a resolution of symptoms after placement of an anterior lumbar interbody cage, without intraoperative complications, and a subsequent antibiotic regimen.

Discussion:

Indolent infection is an under-recognized cause of pseudarthrosis of the lumbar spine. Revision surgery through an anterior lumbar approach, which promotes ease of cage removal and optimized alignment and surface area available for revision fusion, is sufficient to manage pseudarthrosis due to infection.