[Epidural spinal abscesses. Review of a clinical serie].
BACKGROUND
The spinal abscess is an infrequent infectious complication whose diagnosis is often delayed, therefore bringing about significant morbidity and death rates. In the last years, its incidence has raised progressively. The objective of this work is to present the clinical features of a series of spinal abscesses.


METHODS
The clinical histories of all patients diagnosed of spinal cord abscess were evaluated retrospectively.


RESULTS
We obtained seven cases, with a 5/2 male/female proportion, all subjects being over 50 years old. Incidence was 0.58/10,000 admissions per year. All patients debuted with local pains, but only 6/7 (90%) had fever. Focal neurological signs appeared in all patients within the first 0-5 day-period; they were weakness (86%) and sensitive alterations (43%). The most frequent germ was Staphylococcus aureus ( 5 0%). Diabetes mellitus existed in 5/7 cases (71.5%). Four patients were treated by surgery; three of them (75%) had flaccid motor deficit as sequel and the other died. Medical treatment alone was maintained in 3/7 (43%); two experienced partial improvement without recovery of the motor functions and another died.


CONCLUSIONS
Spinal epidural abscess is a rare, although serious, disease. For this reason, we should maintain a high level of suspicion when a patient has spinal or radicular pain associated with systemic symptoms such as fever or deterioration in the general state of health, especially in patients >50 years under weakening situations.
Hernández
A  González
A
Sección de Neurología, Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. ayozegonzalez@eresmas.net
Fernández
J C López
JC
Pi
O Fabre
OF
Román
M Platero
MP
Toledo
V Araña
VA
Gallego
J Hernández
JH
D000368:Aged; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus