[Treatment of the pyogenic infection of the thoracolumbar intervertebral space with vascular pedicled rib grafting].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of vascular pedicled rib grafting in treatment of the pyogenic infection of the thoracolumbar intervertebral space.


METHODS
From November 1993, 7 cases with pyogenic infection of the thoracolumbar intervertebral space were adopted in this study. Among them, there were 5 males and 2 females, aged from 29 to 58 years old. The position of pyogenic infection located at T10 to 11 in 3 cases, at T11 to 12 in 2 cases and at T12 to L1 in 2 cases. During operation, the pyogenic infection was cleared completely and the rib with vascular pedicle was grafted into the intervertebral space.


RESULTS
Followed up for 10 to 60 months, the bone graft unioned in 3 months for 5 patients and unioned in 4 months for 2 patients. There was no recurrence and raised kyphosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The technique of vascular pedicled rib graft is simple, it can shorten the bone union time and reconstruct the stability of spine.
Qiang
X J
XJ
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, General Hospital of ZPEB, Puyang Henan, P. R. China 457001.
Xue
Y
Y
Chen
Z X
ZX
D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012272:Ribs / Q000637:transplantation*; D013166:Spondylitis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery