epidural abscess of the spinal column is a rare condition that can be fatal if left untreated. it promptly progresses and can cause neurologic paralysis, urinary retention or cauda equina syndrome. compromised immune system that occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus, aids, chronic renal failure, alcoholism, or cancer is a predisposing factor. it mostly occurs in adults. here we would like t...

BACKGROUND Spinal epidural abscess is a rare condition with high morbidity and mortality, for which a delay in diagnosis and treatment can lead to irreversible neurologic deficit or even death. Although patients with spinal epidural abscess have systemic predisposing immunocompromised conditions, spinal intervention, or trauma, this condition has been reported as a result of perforation or fist...

EPIDURAL analgesia is most often used for postoperative pain relief, whereas it is no longer so commonly used for long-term treatment of pain from malignant diseases. For perioperative use, the epidural catheter is most frequently inserted before induction of anesthesia while the patient is awake, although there has recently been some debate as to whether regional techniques should or should no...

The formation of spinal epidural abscess following acupuncture is very rare. We herein report the case of a 54-year-old woman who presented with progressive low back pain and fever with a root sign. She underwent surgical decompression, with an immediate improvement of the low back pain. A culture of the epidural abscess grew Serratia marcescens. One year postoperatively, magnetic resonance ima...

Spinal epidural hematoma and spinal epidural abscess are rare surgical emergencies resulting in significant neurologic deficits. Making the diagnosis for spinal epidural hematoma and spinal epidural abscess can be challenging; however, a delay in recognition and treatment can be devastating. The objective of this retrospective analysis study was to identify risk factors for an adverse outcome f...

BACKGROUND Bacteria in the Streptococcus milleri group (S. anginosus, S. constellatus, and S. intermedius) are associated with bacteremia and abscess formation. While most reports of Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) infection occur in patients with underlying medical conditions, SMG infections during pregnancy have been documented. However, SMG infections in pregnant women are associated with ...

A 67 year old man with longstanding rheumatoid disease was referred to the regional spinal surgery unit with acute onset of paraparesis due to an extensive spinal epidural abscess of the lumbar spine. Ten months previously, he had started antibiotic treatment at another hospital for an epidural abscess arising at the level of the L2-3 disc space. Despite completing seven months of medical treat...

BACKGROUND Spinal epidural abscess is an uncommon disease with a relatively high rate of associated morbidity and mortality. The most important determinant of outcome is early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment. OBJECTIVES We aim to highlight the clinical manifestations, describe the early diagnostic evaluation, and outline the treatment principles for spinal epidural abscess i...

Spinal epidural abscess is a rare but potentially fatal disease. A 67-year-old female suffered fever and painful swelling of the right knee and lower leg for one week. Both synovial fluid and blood cultures yielded methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. Low back pain developed and fever was sustained despite the administration of intravenous oxacillin. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of ...