Management of Postoperative Spinal Infection Causes and Prevention

Background: Postoperative spine infections, although uncommon, are serious complications in spinal surgery, leading to increased morbidity, prolonged hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. These infections can affect deep spinal structures, requiring careful preventive and diagnostic strategies due to their potential to impair function significantly. Aim: To identify risk factors, diagnostic indicators, and optimal management strategies for postoperative infections in spine surgery patients. Methods: A retro-prospective study was conducted at Al-Azhar University's Al-Hussein and Al-Sayed Galal hospitals. A total of 81 patients who underwent spine surgery were included, with data collected on demographics, clinical history, laboratory findings, and radiological assessments. Results: Of the 81 patients, 13.6% developed postoperative infections. Analysis revealed no statistically significant association between infection risk and demographic factors, though diabetes showed a modest increase in infection rates. Radiological evaluations showed that MRI detected bone changes in 85.2% of infected cases, underscoring its diagnostic value. Laboratory tests revealed elevated fasting blood sugar (FBS) levels in infected patients (mean 134.64mg/dl) compared to non-infected cases (mean 124.99 mg/dl; p=0.001). Notably, CRP levels were significantly higher in infected patients, and multivariate regression identified CRP as an independent infection predictor (p=0.003, OR=14.171). Conclusion: While hypertension, smoking, alcohol use, and anticoagulant medication did not significantly predict infection risk, diabetes showed a notable correlation with infection. CRP emerged as a robust, independent predictor of postoperative infection, underscoring its utility in postoperative surveillance for spine surgery patients.