['We sought to compare outcomes between patients undergoing decompression only versus decompression and instrumented fusion for primary spinal infections.', 'Records of patients with a diagnosis of primary spinal infection who underwent surgical management at our institution during a 10-year period were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts based on treatment received (decompression alone vs. decompression and instrumentation). Our primary end points were complication rates, need for reoperation, recurrent infections, and resolution of symptom(s) at last follow-up.', 'A total of 118 patients underwent surgical management for primary spinal infections. Thirty-five patients presented with a cervical spine infection, 40 with a thoracic infection, and 43 with a lumbosacral infection. The mean age at presentation was 57.1 ± 13.5 years. Thirty-six patients underwent only decompression, and 82 underwent decompression and instrumented fusion. In the decompression-only group, 8.33% of patients had continued osteomyelitis/discitis compared with 9.76% of patients in the instrumented group (P = 0.807). Importantly, the reoperation rate was also similar between the decompression-only group (19.44%) and the instrumented group (17.07%; P = 0.756). Similarly, subanalyses based on infection location revealed no significant increase in rates of recurrent infection or reoperation in patients who underwent instrumentation.'] Does spinal instrumentation in patients with primary spinal infections lead to greater recurrent infection rates : an analysis of 118 cases?