Between 1987 and 1995 we performed an instrumented arthrodesis on 295 patients with lumbosacral pathology and 23 patients (7.8%) had a serious infection.Methicillin-resistent Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated causal germs. Second generation Cephalosporin was the antibiotic administered the most. The infection was cured in 4 cases with medical treatment. However, in 19 patients surgical cleaning of the damaged tissue was required, although it was not necessary to remove the osteosynthesis material. In 9 cases a second operation was performed and a third in 4 others. In our series, 50% of the patients who required surgical cleaning underwent another operation. Due to the fact that prophylactic antibiotics should cover the germs prevalent in each hospital ward, according to the resistence patterns,the use of Glycopeptid antibiotics would have been more appropriate.

Between 1987 and 1995 we performed an instrumented arthrodesis on 295 patients with lumbosacral pathology and 23 patients (7.8%) had a serious infection.Methicillin-resistent Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently isolated causal germs. Second generation Cephalosporin was the antibiotic administered the most. The infection was cured in 4 cases with medical treatment. However, in 19 patients surgical cleaning of the damaged tissue was required, although it was not necessary to remove the osteosynthesis material. In 9 cases a second operation was performed and a third in 4 others. In our series, 50% of the patients who required surgical cleaning underwent another operation. Due to the fact that prophylactic antibiotics should cover the germs prevalent in each hospital ward, according to the resistence patterns,the use of Glycopeptid antibiotics would have been more appropriate.