title: Spinal epidural abscess--a rare complication after epidural analgesia for labour and delivery.
abstract: We report a case of spinal epidural abscess formation after short-term epidural catheter placement for analgesia during labour and delivery. The patient was previously healthy and did not have any predisposing factors. Increasing back pain was the only complaint. A contrast-enhanced CT study on day 5 was inconclusive. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed and showed a large triangular-shaped abscess with adjacent inflammation of the paravertebral muscles. One day later, the patient developed a sensory deficit in the left lower limb. The neurological deficit completely resolved after surgical decompression and debridement, which was followed by antibiotic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany. torsen.schroeder@uni-teubingen.de
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Krueger
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Neeser
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Unertl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011247:Pregnancy