Infected Vertebroplasty Due to Uncommon Bacteria Solved Surgically: A Rare and Threatening Life Complication of a Common Procedure

Summary of Background Data. Vertebroplasty is awell-known and useful technique for the treatment ofpainful osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Complications,such as cord or root compression or pulmonary embo-lisms, are infrequent and are mainly related with the fre-quent escape of cement throughout the vertebral veins.Infection is even more rare, but when it occurs is difficultto manage and can be a life-threatening complication. Methods. A 63-year-old-man had a spondylitis of L2after vertebroplasty. The patient was initially managedwith antibiotics without clinical improvement. Surgicaltreatment by anterior debridement and anterior and pos-terior stabilization was done. The bacteria isolated fromthe intraoperative cultures were Serratia marcescens , Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , and Burkholderia cepa-cia . After surgery, the patient was treated with antibioticsfor 3 month. Results. After 2 years of follow-up, the patient was freeof pain, without signs of infection, and a correct fusionwas achieved.