Infection as a cause of spinal cord compression: a review of 36 spinal epidural abscess cases
- PMID:10664371
- DOI: 10.1007/s007010050002
Infection as a cause of spinal cord compression: a review of 36 spinal epidural abscess cases
Abstract
A retrospective survey of 36 cases treated in the Department of Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University Hospitals since 1970 was performed. Clinical presentation, aetiology and outcome of this rare disease compared to recently published series. All cases were admitted with signs of neural compression. Clinical and laboratory data suggesting an infectious origin were present only in 4 cases. Radiological investigation including magnetic resonance imaging in 10 patients, were not confirmative for an epidural abscess except for two cases. All cases underwent urgent surgical decompression and tuberculous abscess either in granulation or pus form was found in the majority. Overall mortality rate was 5.8%. Outcome was closely related to the neurological condition on admission rather than the underlying infectious origin. When compared with recently reported series, our cases demonstrated a significant divergence in terms of clinical presentation, pathogenesis and outcome. The most probable reason for this discrepancy is that risk factors for compromised immunity or systemic infection were much less than the other series and mycobacterium tuberculosis is the responsible agent in the majority which has a much more favourable outcome than non-spesific infections.
Similar articles
- Paediatric tubercular spinal abscess involving the dorsal, lumbar and sacral regions and causing spinal cord compression.Bozzola E, Bozzola M, Magistrelli A, Calcaterra V, Larizza D, Lancella L, Villani A.Bozzola E, et al.Infez Med. 2013 Sep;21(3):220-3.Infez Med. 2013.PMID:24008856
- Tetraplegia associated with post-operative syringomyelia in spinal tuberculosis: a result of an epidural compartment syndrome?Bhatnagar N, Kataria A, Lingaiah P, Karkhur Y.Bhatnagar N, et al.Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019 Feb 12;5:18. doi: 10.1038/s41394-019-0159-y. eCollection 2019.Spinal Cord Ser Cases. 2019.PMID:30774988Free PMC article.
- Treatment strategies and outcome in patients with non-tuberculous spinal epidural abscess--a review of 46 cases.Boström A, Oertel M, Ryang Y, Rohde V, Bürgel U, Krings T, Korinth M.Boström A, et al.Minim Invasive Neurosurg. 2008 Feb;51(1):36-42. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1004547.Minim Invasive Neurosurg. 2008.PMID:18306130
- Spinal epidural abscess due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis in a patient with AIDS: case report and review of the literature.Metta H, Corti M, Redini L, Yampolsky C, Schtirbu R.Metta H, et al.Braz J Infect Dis. 2006 Apr;10(2):146-8. doi: 10.1590/s1413-86702006000200013.Braz J Infect Dis. 2006.PMID:16878267Review.
- Spontaneous spinal epidural abscess in a neonate. With a review of the literature.Tang K, Xenos C, Sgouros S.Tang K, et al.Childs Nerv Syst. 2001 Oct;17(10):629-31. doi: 10.1007/s003810100477.Childs Nerv Syst. 2001.PMID:11685529Review.
Cited by
- Thoracic pyogenic infectious spondylitis presented as pneumothorax: A case report.Cho MK, Lee BJ, Chang JH, Kim YM.Cho MK, et al.World J Clin Cases. 2021 Feb 26;9(6):1402-1407. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i6.1402.World J Clin Cases. 2021.PMID:33644208Free PMC article.
- A Case of Spinal Epidural Abscess Presenting with Horner Syndrome.Sati WO, Haddad M, Anjum S.Sati WO, et al.Cureus. 2021 Apr 18;13(4):e14541. doi: 10.7759/cureus.14541.Cureus. 2021.PMID:34017656Free PMC article.
- Case report: Anterior midline decompression of a cervical epidural abscess: Technical note and case series of seven patients.Zian A, Arts MP, van der Gaag NA.Zian A, et al.Front Surg. 2022 Dec 26;9:988565. doi: 10.3389/fsurg.2022.988565. eCollection 2022.Front Surg. 2022.PMID:36632524Free PMC article.
- Clinical outcomes of spinal epidural abscess.Ma H, Kim I.Ma H, et al.Korean J Spine. 2012 Mar;9(1):6-11. doi: 10.14245/kjs.2012.9.1.6. Epub 2012 Mar 31.Korean J Spine. 2012.PMID:25983781Free PMC article.
- Impact of MRI, CT, and Clinical Characteristics on Microbial Pathogen Detection Using CT-Guided Biopsy for Suspected Spondylodiscitis.Braun A, Germann T, Wünnemann F, Weber MA, Schiltenwolf M, Akbar M, Burkholder I, Kauczor HU, Rehnitz C.Braun A, et al.J Clin Med. 2019 Dec 21;9(1):32. doi: 10.3390/jcm9010032.J Clin Med. 2019.PMID:31877797Free PMC article.
MeSH terms
Related information
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources