Acute paraplegia by epidural abscess: full neurological recovery following surgical decompression.
Authors report a case of acute paraplegia due to an epidural spinal abscess caused by a heroin injection that happened four months before. A complete neurological recovery is obtained by surgical decompression and antibiotic therapy despite the preoperative neurological status. The need for a surgical stabilization following extensive laminectomy is discussed.
De Iure
F
F
Divisione di Ortopedia e Traumatologia, Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy. federicodeiure@acantho.it
Gasbarrini
A
A
Paderni
S
S
Boriani
S
S
D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003932:Heroin; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003932:Heroin