413 Posterior Stabilisation Without Formal Debridement for The Treatment of Non-Tuberculous Pyogenic Spinal Infection in A Frail and Debilitated Population – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract Background Non-tuberculous pyogenic spinal infection (PSI) incorporates a variety of different clinical conditions. Surgical interventions may be necessary for severe cases where there is evidence of spinal instability or neurological compromise. The primary surgical procedure focuses on the anterior approach with aggressive debridement of the infected tissue regions. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of the posterior approach without debridement. Method Several databases including MEDLINE, NHS evidence and the Cochrane database were searched. The main clinical outcomes evaluated include pain, neurological recovery (Frankel Grading System, FGS) post-operative complications and functional outcomes (Kirkaldy-Willis Criteria and Spine Tango Combined Outcome Measure Index, COMI). Results From the four papers included in the meta-analysis, post-operative pain levels were found to be lower at a statistically significant level when a random effects model was applied, with the effect size found to be at 0.872 (p < 0.001, 95% CI: 0.7137 to 1.0308). Post-surgical neurological improvement was also demonstrated with a mean FGS improvement of 1.12 in 64 patients over the included articles. Conclusions Posterior approach with posterior stabilisation without formal debridement can results in successful infection resolution, improved pain scores and neurological outcomes. However, Larger series with longer follow-up duration are strongly recommended.