Diskitis

Basics

Description

Often benign, self-limited inflammatory process of an intervertebral disk

Epidemiology

>50% of the cases occur in children <4 years of age.

Incidence

  • Peak incidence is between 0 and 2 years of age.
  • Second peak: >10 years

Prevalence

Rare

Pathophysiology

  • Probably of infectious etiology by an indolent organism
  • Usually none identified; occasionally, Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella, or the Enterobacteriaceae are cultured.
  • Kingella kingae has been implicated in ages 6 months to 4 years old.
  • Can be a late complication after ingested button battery is removed

Etiology

Idiopathic, infectious, or traumatic

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