Extended cervicolumbar spinal epidural abscess associated with paraparesis successfully decompressed using a minimally invasive technique.
METHODS
A case of a multisegmental, cervicothoracolumbar epidural abscess, in an 80-year-old man, successfully decompressed by using a minimally invasive technique, is presented.


OBJECTIVE
To review risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, decompression techniques, and morbidity and mortality regarding spinal epidural abscess.


BACKGROUND
Extended spinal epidural abscess is a rate entity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a multilevel spinal epidural abscess, completely decompressed by limited laminectomies in combination with the use of a silicon catheter, epidurally.


METHODS
The clinical and radiographic features associated with spinal epidural abscess, as well as decompression technique, are presented. The 80-year-old man, with a one week history of urinary tract infection, presented with fever and low back pain, mild weakness in his legs and jaundice. He underwent bilateral limited laminectomies at T2-T3 and a right hemilaminectomy at L1-L2 and the pus was drained, under mild continuous suction, using a 2.7 mm outer and 1.3 mm inner diameter silicon catheter, inserted caudally and cranially into the epidural space, at both the laminectomy sites.


RESULTS
The patient experienced immediate relief of the low back pain, gradual fever subsidence and full neurological recovery during the next 3 weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
In cases of suspected acute epidural abscess, especially in elderly debilitating patients: the whole spine should be scanned by MRI to exclude the possibility of multilevel involvement and adequate pus drainage, when indicated, could be performed with the above described minimally invasive technique.
Panagiotopoulos
Vasilios
V
Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece. panagiotopoulos2000@yahoo.com
Konstantinou
Dimitrios
D
Solomou
Ekaterini
E
Panagiotopoulos
Elias
E
Marangos
Markos
M
Maraziotis
Theodoros
T
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002404:Catheterization; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000209:etiology*; D011859:Radiography; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D013396:Suction; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014546:Urinary Catheterization; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents