title: [Diagnosis and treatment of spinal epidural abscess].
abstract: Spinal epidural I abscess is an uncommon disease. The medical literature emphasizes the importance of its timely recognition and treatment. Three patients admitted in our hospital are presented. None of them was diagnosed on ambulatory bases. All of them were admitted because of spinal ache and two of them also had fever. Magnetic resonance imaging yielded the correct diagnosis in all cases and was very effective in delineating the extent of the lesion. We used antimicrobial therapy directed against the bacteria identified by cultures as well as surgical drainage in all cases. The three patients had a good outcome and no neurologic sequela. Early recognition, proper microbiologic diagnosis and surgical drainage are the main criteria for the current management of spinal epidural abscess.
authors.affiliation: Clínica y Maternidad Suizo-Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Roel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bouza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boero
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Falcón
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D000368:Aged; D004322:Drainage; D004824:Epidural Space / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*