The Spine Journal
Volume 10, Issue 8 , Pages 739-745 , August 2010

Systematic review of the incidence of discitis after cervical discography

  • Shruti Gupta Kapoor, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
  • ,
  • Jeremy Huff, DO

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, 550 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
  • ,
  • Steven P. Cohen, MD

      Affiliations

    • Pain Division, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Department of Surgery, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. 550 North Broadway, Suite 301, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Tel.: (410) 955-1818; fax: (410) 614-7597.

Received 21 May 2009 ,Revised 9 December 2009 ,Accepted 25 December 2009.

References 

  1. Hogg-Johnson S, van der Velde G, Carroll LJ, et al. The burden and determinants of neck pain in the general population: results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Spine. 2008;33(4 Suppl):S39–S51
  2. Bot SD, van der Waal JM, Terwee CB, et al. Incidence and prevalence of complaints of the neck and upper extremity in general practice. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64:118–123
  3. Cote P, Cassidy JD, Carroll LJ, Kristman V. The annual incidence and course of neck pain in the general population: a population-based cohort study. Pain. 2004;112:267–273
  4. Croft PR, Lewis M, Papageorgiou AC, et al. Risk factors for neck pain: a longitudinal study in the general population. Pain. 2001;93:317–325
  5. Rekola KE, Keinanen-Kiukaanniemi S, Takala J. Use of primary health services in sparsely populated country districts by patients with musculoskeletal symptoms: consultations with a physician. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1993;47:153–157
  6. Stahl M, Mikkelsson M, Kautiainen H, et al. Neck pain in adolescence. A 4-year follow-up of pain-free preadolescents. Pain. 2004;110:427–431
  7. Lindblom K. Diagnostic puncture of intervertebral disks in sciatica. Acta Orthop Scand. 1948;17:231–239
  8. Manchikanti L, Dunbar EE, Wargo BW, et al. Systematic review of cervical discography as a diagnostic test for chronic spinal pain. Pain Physician. 2009;12:305–321
  9. Jacobs WC, Anderson PG, Limbeek J, et al. Single or double-level anterior interbody fusion techniques for cervical degenerative disc disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(4):CD004958
  10. Fouyas IP, Statham PF, Sandercock PA, Lynch C. Surgery for cervical radiculomyelopathy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2001;(3):CD001466
  11. Gibson JN, Waddell G. Surgical interventions for lumbar disc prolapse: updated Cochrane Review. Spine. 2007;32:1735–1747
  12. Deyo RA, Nachemson A, Mirza SK. Spinal-fusion surgery—the case for restraint. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:722–726
  13. Castinel BH, Adam P, Milburn PD, et al. Epidemiology of cervical spine abnormalities in asymptomatic adult professional Rugby Union players using static and dynamic MRI protocols—2002 to 2006. Br J Sports Med. 2010;44:194–199
  14. Matsumoto M, Fujimura Y, Suzuki N, et al. MRI of cervical intervertebral discs in asymptomatic subjects. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1998;80:19–24
  15. Lehto IJ, Tertti MO, Komu ME, et al. Age-related MRI changes at 0.1 T in cervical discs in asymptomatic subjects. Neuroradiology. 1994;36:49–53
  16. Jensen MC, Brant-Zawadzki MN, Obuchowski N, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in people without back pain. N Engl J Med. 1994;331:69–73
  17. Weishaupt D, Zanetti M, Hodler J, Boos N. MR imaging of the lumbar spine: prevalence of intervertebral disk extrusion and sequestration, nerve root compression, end plate abnormalities, and osteoarthritis of the facet joints in asymptomatic volunteers. Radiology. 1998;209:661–666
  18. Wood KB, Garvey TA, Gundry C, Heithoff KB. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine. Evaluation of asymptomatic individuals. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1995;77:1631–1638
  19. Bogduk N, Modic MT. Lumbar discography. Spine. 1996;21:402–404
  20. Buenaventura RM, Shah RV, Patel V, et al. Systematic review of discography as a diagnostic test for spinal pain: an update. Pain Physician. 2007;10:147–164
  21. Guyer RD, Ohnmeiss DD. Lumbar discography. Position statement from the North American Spine Society Diagnostic and Therapeutic Committee. Spine. 1995;20:2048–2059
  22. Kikuchi S, Macnab I, Moreau P. Localisation of the level of symptomatic cervical disc degeneration. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1981;63:272–277
  23. Hubach PC. A prospective study of anterior cervical spondylodesis in intervertebral disc disorders. Eur Spine J. 1994;3:209–213
  24. Cohen SP, Hurley RW. The ability of diagnostic spinal injections to predict surgical outcomes. Anesth Analg. 2007;105:1756–1775
  25. Cohen SP, Larkin TM, Barna SA, et al. Lumbar discography: a comprehensive review of outcome studies, diagnostic accuracy, and principles. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2005;30:163–183
  26. Carrino JA, Morrison WB, Parker L, et al. Spinal injection procedures: volume, provider distribution, and reimbursement in the U.S. medicare population from 1993 to 1999. Radiology. 2002;225:723–729
  27. Connor PM, Darden BV. Cervical discography complications and clinical efficacy. Spine. 1993;18:2035–2038
  28. Roosen K, Bettag W, Fiebach O. [Complications of cervical discography]. Rofo. 1975;122:520–527
  29. Guyer RD, Collier R, Stith WJ, et al. Discitis after discography. Spine. 1988;13:1352–1354
  30. von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, et al. [The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies]. Rev Esp Salud Publica. 2008;82:251–259
  31. Yang AW, Li CG, Da Costa C, et al. Assessing quality of case series studies: development and validation of an instrument by herbal medicine CAM researchers. J Altern Complement Med. 2009;15:513–522
  32. Guyer RD, Ohnmeiss DD, Mason SL, Shelokov AP. Complications of cervical discography: findings in a large series. J Spinal Disord. 1997;10:95–101
  33. Grubb SA, Kelly CK. Cervical discography: clinical implications from 12 years of experience. Spine. 2000;25:1382–1389
  34. Schellhas KP, Garvey TA, Johnson BA, et al. Cervical diskography: analysis of provoked responses at C2-C3, C3-C4, and C4-C5. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2000;21:269–275
  35. Pobiel RS, Schellhas KP, Pollei SR, et al. Diskography: infectious complications from a series of 12,634 cases. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2006;27:1930–1932
  36. Simmons EH, Segil CM. An evaluation of discography in the localization of symptomatic levels in discogenic disease of the spine. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1975;57–69
  37. Zheng Y, Liew SM, Simmons ED. Value of magnetic resonance imaging and discography in determining the level of cervical discectomy and fusion. Spine. 2004;29:2140–2145
  38. Motimaya A, Arici M, George D, Ramsby G. Diagnostic value of cervical discography in the management of cervical discogenic pain. Conn Med. 2000;64:395–398
  39. Zeidman SM, Thompson K, Ducker TB. Complications of cervical discography: analysis of 4400 diagnostic disc injections. Neurosurgery. 1995;37:414–417
  40. Willems PC, Jacobs W, Duinkerke ES, De Kleuver M. Lumbar discography: should we use prophylactic antibiotics? A study of 435 consecutive discograms and a systematic review of the literature. J Spinal Disord Tech. 2004;17:243–247
  41. Sharma SK, Jones JO, Zeballos PP, et al. The prevention of discitis during discography. Spine J. 2009;9:936–943
  42. Schaerer JP. Anterior cervical disc removal and fusion. Schweiz Arch Neurol Neurochir Psychiatr. 1968;102:331–344
  43. Simmons EH, Bhalla SK. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. A clinical and biomechanical study with eight-year follow-up. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1969;51:225–237
  44. Fraser RD, Osti OL, Vernon-Roberts B. Discitis after discography. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1987;69:26–35
  45. Postacchini F, Cinotti G, Perugia D. Post-operative intervertebral discitis. Evaluation of 12 cases and study of ESR in the normal postoperative period. Ital J Orthop Traumatol. 1993;19:57–69
  46. Maiuri F, Iaconetta G, Gallicchio B, et al. Spondylodiscitis. Clinical and magnetic resonance diagnosis. Spine. 1997;22:1741–1746
  47. Saifuddin A, Renton P, Taylor BA. Effects on the vertebral end-plate of uncomplicated lumbar discography: an MRI study. Eur Spine J. 1998;7:36–39
  48. Schindler OS, Wilson-MacDonald J. Acute MRI changes in infectious discitis: report on two cases. Eur Spine J. 1995;4:360–361
  49. Silber JS, Anderson DG, Vaccaro AR, et al. Management of postprocedural discitis. Spine J. 2002;2:279–287
  50. Rawlings CE, Wilkins RH, Gallis HA, et al. Postoperative intervertebral disc space infection. Neurosurgery. 1983;13:371–376
  51. Osti OL, Fraser RD, Vernon-Roberts B. Discitis after discography. The role of prophylactic antibiotics. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1990;72:271–274
  52. Fraser RD, Osti OL, Vernon-Roberts B. Iatrogenic discitis: the role of intravenous antibiotics in prevention and treatment. An experimental study. Spine. 1989;14:1025–1032
  53. Tehranzadeh J. Discography 2000. Radiol Clin North Am. 1998;36:463–495
  54. Klessig HT, Showsh SA, Sekorski A. The use of intradiscal antibiotics for discography: an in vitro study of gentamicin, cefazolin, and clindamycin. Spine. 2003;28:1735–1738
  55. Gibson MJ, Karpinski MR, Slack RC, et al. The penetration of antibiotics into the normal intervertebral disc. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1987;69:784–786
  56. Walters R, Rahmat R, Fraser R, Moore R. Preventing and treating discitis: cephazolin penetration in ovine lumbar intervertebral disc. Eur Spine J. 2006;15:1397–1403
  57. Sato S, Sakuragi T, Dan K. Human skin flora as a potential source of epidural abscess. Anesthesiology. 1996;85:1276–1282
  58. Kinirons B, Mimoz O, Lafendi L, et al. Chlorhexidine versus povidone iodine in preventing colonization of continuous epidural catheters in children: a randomized, controlled trial. Anesthesiology. 2001;94:239–244
  59. Yentur EA, Luleci N, Topcu I, et al. Is skin disinfection with 10% povidone iodine sufficient to prevent epidural needle and catheter contamination?. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2003;28:389–393
  60. Walters R, Vernon-Roberts B, Fraser R, Moore R. Therapeutic use of cephazolin to prevent complications of spine surgery. Inflammopharmacology. 2006;14:138–143
  61. Bates T, Siller G, Crathern BC, et al. Timing of prophylactic antibiotics in abdominal surgery: trial of a pre-operative versus an intra-operative first dose. Br J Surg. 1989;76:52–56
  62. Classen DC, Evans RS, Pestotnik SL, et al. The timing of prophylactic administration of antibiotics and the risk of surgical-wound infection. N Engl J Med. 1992;326:281–286
  63. Barie PS, Eachempati SR. Surgical site infections. Surg Clin North Am. 2005;85:1115–1135viii–ix
  64. Bratzler DW, Houck PM. Antimicrobial prophylaxis for surgery: an advisory statement from the National Surgical Infection Prevention Project. Am J Surg. 2005;189:395–404
  65. Di Leo A, Piffer S, Ricci F, et al. Surgical site infections in an Italian surgical ward: a prospective study. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2009;10:533–538
  66. Boston KM, Baraniuk S, O'Heron S, Murray KO. Risk factors for spinal surgical site infection, Houston, Texas. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol. 2009;30:884–889
  67. Pernold G, Mortimer M, Wiktorin C, et al. Neck/shoulder disorders in a general population. Natural course and influence of physical exercise: a 5-year follow-up. Spine. 2005;30:E363–E368
  68. Carroll LJ, Hogg-Johnson S, van der Velde G, et al. Course and prognostic factors for neck pain in the general population: results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Spine. 2008;33:S75–S82
  69. Tas U, Verhagen AP, Bierma-Zeinstra SM, et al. Prognostic factors of disability in older people: a systematic review. Br J Gen Pract. 2007;57:319–323
  70. Carragee EJ, Hurwitz EL, Cheng I, et al. Treatment of neck pain: injections and surgical interventions: results of the Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. Spine. 2008;33:S153–S169
  71. Colhoun E, McCall IW, Williams L, Cassar Pullicino VN. Provocation discography as a guide to planning operations on the spine. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1988;70:267–271
  72. Carragee EJ, Lincoln T, Parmar VS, Alamin T. A gold standard evaluation of the “discogenic pain” diagnosis as determined by provocative discography. Spine. 2006;31:2115–2123
  73. Madan S, Gundanna M, Harley JM, et al. Does provocative discography screening of discogenic back pain improve surgical outcome?. J Spinal Disord Tech. 2002;15:245–251
  74. Willems PC, Elmans L, Anderson PG, et al. Provocative discography and lumbar fusion: is preoperative assessment of adjacent discs useful?. Spine. 2007;32:1094–1100
  75. Carragee EJ, Chen Y, Tanner CM, et al. Can discography cause long-term back symptoms in previously asymptomatic subjects?. Spine. 2000;25:1803–1808
  76. Carragee EJ, Don AS, Hurwitz EL, et al. Does discography cause accelerated progression of degeneration changes in the lumbar disc: a Ten-Year Matched Cohort Study. Spine. 2009;34:2338–2345
  77. Schaerer JP. Cervical discography. J Int Coll Surg. 1964;42:287–296
  78. Vogelsang H. Cervical intervertebral discitis after discography. Neurochirurgia (Stuttg). 1973;16:80–83
  79. Parfenchuck TA, Janssen ME. A correlation of cervical magnetic resonance imaging and discography/computed tomographic discograms. Spine. 1994;19:2819–2825

 FDA device/drug status: not applicable.

 Author disclosures: none.

 This work is funded in part by a Congressional grant from the John P. Murtha Neuroscience and Pain Institute, Johnstown, PA, and the Army Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine Initiative, Washington, DC.

PII: S1529-9430(10)00006-9

doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2009.12.022

The Spine Journal
Volume 10, Issue 8 , Pages 739-745 , August 2010