Aspergillus spondylodiscitis in an immunocompetent paraplegic patient

Abstract

A case of an immunocompetent 60 year old patient is reported, who suffered extensive thoracic spinal injury and paraplegia after polytrauma. In the course of rehabilitation he developed aspergillus spondylodiscitis in a part of the thoraco-lumbar spine which was primarily uninjured. The diagnostic assessment and therapeutic approach of this rare disorder is elucidated and discussed in the context of paraplegia and polytrauma. Possible mechanisms of inoculation and spreading of the moulds as well as predisposing factors of the disease are discussed in this paper and a review of the recent literature is provided.