PSEUDOINFECTIONS OF THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISK AND ADJACENT VERTEBRAE?

Abstract
There is a disease of the intervertebral disk and adjacent vertebrae of unknown etiology which is characterized by a combination of sclerosis and bone destruction. This can occur in the nonsurgical patient as well as after surgery for a herniated intervertebral disk. Symptoms are insidious in onset with localized back pain as the dominant symptom. There has been no clinical evidence of infection in 13 patients and cultures have been sterile in the cases that have been biopsied. The disease is usually self-limited and responds to rest, analgesics and immobilization. The recognition of the early changes of this disease will help avoid unnecessary surgery.

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