The study aims to identify metabolites present in intervertebral discs colonized by C. acnes from patients with low back pain and degenerative disc disease, correlating them with their clinical, radiological and demographic profiles.

Inclusion Criteria:

• low back pain lasting longer than 3 months;
• MRI findings of degenerative lumbar discopathy (DDL) performed less than 6 months after inclusion in the study;
• indication for open surgical treatment, with isolated microdiscectomy or associated with lumbar arthrodesis;
• failure of conservative treatment for at least 6 weeks and/or progressive neurological deficit

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of open lumbar spine surgery at any stage of life;
• presence of chemotherapy or pulse therapy with corticoids;
• patients with immune deficiency;
• patients undergoing previous intradiscal therapies (nucleotomy or discography);
• patients undergoing previous endoscopic surgery;
• patients with a history of previous spinal infection treated with antibiotics in the 6 months prior to inclusion in the study;
• use of antibiotics in the 2 months prior to the surgical procedure

Neither the patient nor the surgeons will have access to the results of microbiological cultures or molecular analysis. The radiologist who will review the exams will also be blinded to patient data and laboratory results. The researcher who will analyze the pain and function scores will also be blinded.