ABSTRACT
Infections of the spine can involve the vertebral body, intervertebral disc, epidural space, paraspinal soft tissues and, rarely, the posterior elements of the spinal column.
Clinical problems 1. Acute pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. This accounts for between 8% and 18% of all cases of osteomyelitis. It is particularly prevalent in debilitated patients and those with diabetes. Males are more commonly affected than females (2:1). S. aureus is the commonest infecting organism. Spread of infection to the vertebra may be by local or haematogenous spread from a primary infected focus. The subchondral bone, being highly vascularized, is the site of predilection. From here, infection may spread directly into the disc and adjacent vertebral body or may break out anteriorly causing a retropharyngeal, paraspinal or psoas abscess. Posterior extension made lead to epidural abscess formation.
