The rate of postoperative infections following spinal procedures varies widely depending most of the times in factors such as-the nature of the procedure, the patient' s diagnosis, the preoperative comorbidities and other risk factors. A retrospective case control analysis of 28 cases of postoperative infection following spinal procedures was performed. Material and Methods: A review of 200 spinal procedures revealed that a postoperative infection developed in 28 patients (14%). Preoperative

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... k factors reviewed included smoking and alcohol abuse, diabetes, previous spinal surgery, previous infections and body mass index. Intraoperative factors reviewed included the type of procedures, the operating time and the use of instrumentation. Results: The majority of infections (20 cases-71.4%) occurred during the early postoperative period (< 6 months). Factors such asage of >65 years, smoking and alcohol abuse, diabetes, previous surgical infection and increased body mass index were statistically significant preoperative risk factors. The most common organism cultured from the wounds was Staphylococcus aureus. All patients were treated with surgical irrigation and débridement, and appropriate antibiotics to treat the cultured organism. Conclusions: It may be appropriate to increase the duration of prophylactic antibiotics or implement other measures to decrease the incidence of infection for high risk patients. Whereas extended prophylactics should be considered in posterior instrumentation, especially when risk factors are apparent.