Effectiveness of combination use of antibiotic-loaded PerOssal with spinal surgery in patients with spondylodiscitis.

Degradable composites of calcium sulphate and nanoparticulate hydroxyapatite (PerOssal) have shown promising results in vitro. Here we investigated the handling, efficacy and compatibility of PerOssal when loaded with gentamicin or vancomycin in 19 patients with spondylodiscitis in vivo. So far, 12 patients who were followed up over at least 1 year have shown a normalization of the infection parameters, no more bone loss in the affected regions and a bony fusion after 3-6 months postoperatively. No revision surgery was related to the use of PerOssal. Locally there were no signs of an ongoing infection. This study demonstrates encouraging results regarding handling, resorption, biocompatibility and antibiotic release using PerOssal pellets in vivo. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.