Three Cases of Brucellar Spondylitis with Noncontiguous Multifocal Involvement.

BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is an endemic disease. Brucellar spondylitis is mainly manifested as a unifocal lesion, but noncontiguous multifocal brucellar spondylitis is more rare. CASE DESCRIPTION: Herein, we report 3 patients with noncontiguous multifocal involvement of brucellar spondylitis who are over 51 years of age. The diagnosis was established by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positive brucellar agglutination test. All patients were cured with antibrucellosis chemotherapy and surgery. For patients with a high degree of suspicion of noncontiguous multifocal brucellar spondylitis, especially elderly patients, screening with the use of serologic test for brucellosis and whole spine MRI is crucial to reduce the rate of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should raise awareness of noncontiguous multifocal brucellar spondylitis. The Wright agglutination test and whole spine MRI are the key methods to reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of noncontiguous multifocal brucellar spondylitis. Drug therapy for brucellar spondylitis is the basis, and surgical treatment is complementary therapy. The use of alternative chemotherapy and surgery for noncontiguous multifocal brucellar spondylitis is also safe and effective.

Successive complications after anterior cervical fixation: pharyngoesophageal diverticulum, fistulization, and cervical spondylitis by Streptococcus milleri - case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Pharyngoesophageal diverticulum is an uncommon complication after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion surgery. CASE PRESENTATION: Our patient was a 48-year-old woman with two previous cervical surgeries with fixation of C4-C5 and C5-C6, the last one in 2003. Two years after surgery, she presented with arthralgia, arthritis, chills, and fluctuating rash. In 2007, she presented with dysphagia, halitosis, and sputum production. She was diagnosed with a pharyngoesophageal diverticulum with a fistula to C6 vertebra and secondary spondylitis. She was taken for open surgery with removal of screws and plates, cricopharyngeal myotomy, and esophageal repair. Streptococcus milleri grew in tissue and osteosynthetic material. She received 4 months of amoxicillin and probenecid and had a complete recovery. Since 1991, 19 similar cases have been reported with one fatality. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of diverticulum complicated with fistula and secondary spondylitis. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a history of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion complaining of dysphagia, even years after surgery, it is mandatory to perform an esophagogram. This symptom was referred to in 88% of the cases reported in the literature.

Surgical treatment of spondylitis and diaphragm relaxation in patient less than 1 year old.

DESIGN: Case report. INTRODUCTION: The combination of severe post-infectious kyphosis and diaphragm relaxation is extremely rare in patient early than 1 year old. Its no publications concerning their simultaneous surgical treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: 7-Month-old girl had simultaneous spinal reconstruction with anterior and posterior instrumentation and plastic of diaphragm because of sequelae of non-granulenatous spondylitis complicated by severe kyphosis (54°) and diaphragm relaxation. Between 1.5 and 3 months of live she had several infections incl. pneumonia, enterocolitis, ENT infection. Anterior fusion was done by titanium mesh with auto-rib, posterior - by compressive rods based on low-profile hooks. The deformity was reduced till 20°. 2.5 years after initial surgery and 1 year after removal of posterior instrumentation the adequate level of diaphragm and minimal (4°) loss of kyphosis correction were identified. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of spondylitis and diaphragm relaxation in early aged patient could be explained but it could not be confirmed as a sequelae of late-onset neonatal sepsis with a multi-focal lesions. The simultaneous surgery provided on the combined approaches (trans-thoracic and posterior) looks as optimal options in such combination of pathologies. In remains controversial how will the spine develop after so early reconstructive surgery, including in situ stable anterior fusion carried out by titanium mesh with auto-rib.

Interleukin-1beta in plasma and synovial fluid in relation to radiographic changes in arthritic temporomandibular joints.

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of the cytokine IL-1beta in plasma and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) synovial fluid of patients with arthropathies, and to study the relation between IL-1beta levels of synovial fluid and plasma as well as radiographic changes of the TMJ. 31 patients with general disease, 14 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 17 with various arthritides were included in the study. Synovial fluid and blood samples were collected, and an individualized tomography of the TMJ was performed. Detectable levels of IL-1beta were found in 5 out of 39 synovial fluids and in 10 out of 27 plasma samples. The presence of IL-1beta in both plasma and synovial fluid was more frequent in RA patients than in the non-RA group. The extension of radiographic erosion was significantly greater in joints with IL-1beta than in those without. Both the extension of erosion and grade of radiographic changes of the TMJ were greater in patients with detectable IL-1beta level of plasma than in patients without. Our study indicates that presence of IL-1beta in plasma and synovial fluid is related to radiographic changes of the TMJ.

[Needle puncture of the intervertebral disk foci in the bacteriological diagnosis of infectious spondylodiscitis. Technic and results]. / La ponction ã l'aiguille du foyer disco-vertébral pour le diagnostic bactériologique des spondylodiscites infectieuses. Technique et résultats

Clinical, laboratory, and radiological data do not make possible a certain diagnosis of infectious spondylitis: errors are thus possible, even frequent, and are harmful to the patient. In order to ensure a certain diagnosis and to avoid exploratory surgery as far as possible, the authors propose systematic needle puncture of the inververtebral disk--a technique that is simple and inoffensive to carry out in all disks below T4, and that, in a series of 18 cases, gave a success rate of 2 out of 3 (11 positive results). The technique, the results and the factors essential for success are described and analysed.