A 10-year retrospective audit. (1) The incidence of infection; (2) causative organisms; (3) whether eradication of infection is achievable with spinal implant retention; (4) patient outcome. The reported incidence of infection following posterior spinal instrumentation is between 2.6 and 3.8%. Management of infection is controversial, with some advocating serial wound debridement while others report that infection cannot be eradicated with retention of implants. There are no published data demonstrating that propionibacteria are associated with early postoperative infection. The management of infected cases at our institution includes eventual removal of their implants. Our population was identified by studying the case notes of all patients who had undergone removal of spinal implants and cross-referencing this population with positive microbiology or histology reports. The incidence of infection was 3.7%. Propionibacteria were isolated in 45% of cases. The diagnosis of infection was unexpected in 25% of patients, following removal of implants for prominence of implants or back pain. Sixty per cent of patients with acute postoperative deep wound infection had continuing active infection on subsequent removal of implants, despite long-term antibiotics and wound debridement. Fourty-six per cent of patients had a stable, pain-free spine at the end of their treatment. This is the largest reported series of infections following posterior spinal instrumented fusions of which we are aware. Propionibacteria are a common cause of infection and successful eradication of infection cannot be reliably achieved with antibiotics and wound debridement alone.

The outcome of anterior odontoid screw fixation of type II B odontoid fractures in the elderly is satisfactory. We experienced satisfactory union rates and preserved cervical range of movement without the need of postoperative rigid neck immobilization. The morbidity associated with this procedure was low. We recommend anterior screw fixation as an effective method of treating type II B odontoid fractures in the elderly.

Low-lying cord is an uncommon entity, and cord compression due lumbar disc disease is rarely encountered. We discuss our experience with a case of lumbar cord compression secondary to a large disc protrusion, which caused myelopathy in a low-lying/tethered cord. A 77-year-old woman with known spina bifida occulta presented with 6-week history of severe low back pain and progressive paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a low-lying tethered cord and a large disc prolapse at L2/3 causing cord compression with associated syringomyelia. Medical comorbidities precluded her from anterior decompression, and therefore a posterior decompression was performed. She recovered full motor power in her lower limbs and could eventually walk unaided. She had a deep wound infection, which was successfully treated with debridement, negative pressure therapy (vacuum-assisted closure pump), and antibiotics. Six months after surgery, her Oswestry Disability Index improved from 55% preoperatively to 20%. Posterior spinal cord decompression for this condition has been successful in our case, and we believe that the lumbar lordosis may have helped indirectly decompress the spinal cord by posterior decompression alone.