DOI: 10.1097/im9.0000000000000221 ISSN: 2641-5917

Spinal Endoscopic Treatment for Lumbar Infection Caused by Enterococcus gallinarum: A Case Report

Ji Ma, Lijun Li
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Background:

Enterococcus gallinarum , an opportunistic pathogen, is rarely implicated in lumbar infections. We report a case of refractory lumbar spondylodiscitis caused by this organism in an elderly patient.

Case description:

An 83-year-old woman with diabetes and hypertension presented with low back pain, radicular leg pain and subsequent sphincter dysfunction. MRI confirmed lumbar infection. Empirical ceftriaxone was ineffective. Endoscopic debridement and decompression were performed; intraoperative cultures yielded E. gallinarum . Linezolid therapy led to rapid improvement, and she was discharged two weeks later. At three-month follow-up, the infection resolved and inflammatory markers normalized.

Discussion:

Early endoscopic debridement combined with culture-directed antibiotics may offer a viable strategy for managing refractory lumbar E. gallinarum infection when empirical regimens prove ineffective.

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