Presence of preoperative Modic changes and severity of endplate damage  score are independent risk factors for developing postoperative surgical site infection: a retrospective case-control study of 1124 patients

ConclusionOur data suggest that preoperative MC and TEPS  >  6 are independent risk factors for developing surgical site infections. MC could be foci of chronic subclinical infection and not mere markers of degeneration, as initially described.
Source: European Spine Journal - Category: Orthopaedics Source Type: research