WOUND INFECTIONS AND HEALING: Management of surgical wounds infections in spine surgery

management of surgical wound infections in spine surgery. The rate of spinal wound infections in literature ranges from 0.7 to 11.9%. When instrumentation is used for lumbar or dorsal fusion the infection rate increase and the Staphylococcus aureus is the most common organism causing SWI. The non operative treatment of postoperative spinal wound infections is rarely indicated so treatment is centered on the surgical debridment of all necrotic tissue. Proven methods to prevent wound infection include prophylactic antibiotics and aseptic surgical techniques. In some patients the use of the VAC therapy may be useful after the surgical debridment