title: Treatment of deep wound infections after spinal fusion with a vacuum-assisted device in patients with spinal cord injury.
abstract: Postoperative wound infection is a severe complication after spinal instrumentation, especially in a patient with spinal injury. We used vacuum-assisted wound closure (VAC) in two patients with spinal cord injury, who presented deep wound infection after spinal instrumentation and were treated with an aggressive irrigation and debridement procedure. Three and four weeks after VAC application, the hardware was completely covered by granulation tissue and a secondary closure was undertaken. No significant complications were observed. Six months after secondary closure, the wounds remained healed, no signs of instrumentation loosening, haloing or lysis around the instrumentation were observed, and patients had completed their rehabilitation program and were discharged from hospital. Vacuum assisted wound closure appears as an excellent option in the treatment of deep wound infections after spinal instrumentation in patients with spinal cord injury.
authors: Orthopaedic Surgery Department, Hospital Nuestra Señora del Prado, Talavera de la Reina, Toledo, Spain. cvicario@iespana.es
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Vicario
authors: Jesus
authors: J
authors: de Juan
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Esclarin
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Alcobendas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003646:Debridement; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000628:therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006097:Granulation Tissue / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000628:therapy; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation; D013529:Surgical Wound Dehiscence / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000628:therapy*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D014618:Vacuum; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents