Intramedullary abscess from group F Streptococcus.
BACKGROUND
Intramedullary abscesses are rare and may be misdiagnosed. We report the case of a 54-year-old man with carcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction who presented after thoracotomy with hemiparesis and a ring-enhancing intramedullary lesion at C2-3 on magnetic resonance imaging.


METHODS
Individual case report and literature review.


RESULTS
Although the lesion was initially mistaken for metastasis, at surgery an intramedullary abscess was discovered, from which group F Streptococcus was isolated. Conclusions : Although other streptococcal species have been found in abscesses of the spinal cord, this particular strain has not been identified previously as a cause of such abscesses. Prompt surgical evacuation is recommended, and should be followed by appropriately tailored antibiotic therapy.
Vora
Yashail A
YA
Department of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Raad
Issam I
II
McCutcheon
Ian E
IE
D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents