Disease or Syndrome
discitis
Subclass of:
Spondylitis
Definitions related to discitis:
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Inflammation of an INTERVERTEBRAL DISC or disk space which may lead to disk erosion. Until recently, discitis has been defined as a nonbacterial inflammation and has been attributed to aseptic processes (e.g., chemical reaction to an injected substance). However, recent studies provide evidence that infection may be the initial cause, but perhaps not the promoter, of most cases of discitis. Discitis has been diagnosed in patients following discography, myelography, lumbar puncture, paravertebral injection, and obstetrical epidural anesthesia. Discitis following chemonucleolysis (especially with chymopapain) is attributed to chemical reaction by some and to introduction of microorganisms by others.NLM Medical Subject HeadingsU.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
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(diskitis) Swelling of one or more of the pillow-like disks located between the bones of the spinal column.Harvard Dictionary of Health TermsHarvard Medical Publishing, 2011
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Diskitis is an inflammation of the vertebral disk space often related to infection. Infection of the disk space must be considered with vertebral osteomyelitis, as these conditions are almost always present together and share much of the same pathophysiology, symptoms, and treatment.WebMD, 2019
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