title: The role of laparoscopic biopsies in lumbar spondylodiscitis.
abstract: Infection of an intervertebral disk is a serious condition. Diagnosis often is elusive and difficult. It is imperative to obtain appropriate microbiological specimens before initiation of treatment. The authors describe a 51-year-old woman with lumbar spondylodiscitis that was because of infection after the placement of an epidural catheter for postoperative analgesia. A spinal magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the diagnosis, but computed tomography-guided fine needle biopsy did not provide adequate material for a microbiologic diagnosis. Laparoscopic biopsies of the involved disk provided good specimens and a diagnosis of Propionibacterium acnes infection. The authors believe that this minimally invasive procedure should be performed when computed tomography-guided fine needle biopsy does not provide a microbiologic diagnosis in spondylodiscitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Corpataux
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Halkic
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wettstein
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dusmet
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015299:Discitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes; D015641:Radiography, Interventional / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*