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THE VALUE OF C-REACTİVE PROTEİN AND ERYTHROCYTE SEDIMENTATION RATE İN SPİNAL SURGERY

  • Özlem KANDEMİR
  • Abtullah MİLCAN
  • Celal BAĞDATOĞLU
  • Handan ÇAMDEVİREN
  • Kayhan UĞUZ
  • Ali KAYA

J Turk Spinal Surg 2001;12(1):6-11

Purpose:

To determine the postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) values of the patients who had various spinal operations.

Materials and methods:

Lumbar discectomy was done in 30 patients (group 1), and 15 patients had spinal fusion with instrumentation (group 2). CRP and ESR measurements were made before surgery and at 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 30 days after surgery. Level of C-reactive protein (CRP) was analysed in serum samples by immunoturbidimetric method (Roche Cobas Integra 700, Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). The ESR was assayed by the VVestergren method.

Results:

İn both types of operations CRP reached its maximum level on the 3rd day, then with a steep decline reached its 50% value on the 5th day. After the fusion operations ESR increased on the 3rd day, reached its peak vaiue on the 7th day, after remaining at this level for a certain period of time, its decline commenced on the 14th day. However after disc operations ESR, which has not markedly increased, declined on the 7,h day and stayed at this level. Both CRP and the ESR was observed to increase significantly after fusion operations (p< 0,005). Length of the incision at the operation site, the type of the operation and blood transfusion have ali affected CRP, vvhile blood loss and the type of operation affected ESR.

Conclusion:

The fact that after spinal operations CRP values increase rapidly and return to its normal value early renders it more sensitive to diagnosis of early onset infection. The place of ESR is found to be limited.

Keywords: Spine surgery, C-reactive protein, Erythrocyte sedimentation rate