Lumbosacral spondylodiscitis due to rectal fistula following mesh penetration 7 years after colpopexy.
BACKGROUND
The primary source of spondylodiscitis cannot always be identified. However, not treating the original focus might preclude successful healing due to further spread of the causative microorganisms.


METHODS
An 80-year-old woman presented with lumbar spondylodiscitis. She received surgical debridement and stabilization with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and tailored antibiotic therapy after isolation of Enterococcus spp. Despite appropriate treatment, the patient's condition continued to worsen. An extensive search for the primary infection source finally revealed a rectal fistula caused by a synthetic mesh that had been inserted 7 years before for abdominal sacrocolpopexy. Only after removal of the fistula and protective ileostomy did the patient's condition improved, allowing successful healing of the spondylodiscitis. After a follow-up period of one year no infection relapse was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
In cases of spondyodiscitis that are resistant to adequate treatment, a search for infection source must be continued until the focus is found and treated. The presence of uncommon enteric microorganisms causing spondylodiscitis, such as Enterococcus spp., is suggestive of contiguous spread and should therefore be further investigated.
Spine Surgery Department, St Franziskus Hospital, Köln, Schönsteinstr 63, 50825 Köln, Germany. Electronic address: snunezpereira@gmail.com.
S
S
Núñez-Pereira
Spine Surgery Department, St Franziskus Hospital, Köln, Schönsteinstr 63, 50825 Köln, Germany.
N V
NV
Huhmann
General Surgery Department, St Franziskus Hospital, Köln, Schönsteinstr 63, 50825 Köln, Germany.
K P
KP
Rheinwalt
Spine Surgery Department, St Franziskus Hospital, Köln, Schönsteinstr 63, 50825 Köln, Germany.
V
V
Bullmann
Colpopexy; Enterococcus spp.; Lumbosacral spondylodiscitis; Rectal fistula