title: Spinal epidural abscess in a young girl without risk factors.
abstract: Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare infection associated with well-established risk factors mainly in adults. We describe an 11-year-old girl without any known risk factors who presented with fever and localized spinal tenderness in the lumbar area and was diagnosed with spinal MRI as suffering from a posterior SEA extending between T11 and L4. She was successfully managed with sequential intravenous and oral antibiotics along with minimally invasive surgery without laminectomy. Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus was the responsible pathogen isolated at surgery. Immediate institution of antibiotics, spinal MRI, and well-timed neurosurgical consultation are mandatory for a favorable outcome in cases of SEA in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Democritus University of Thrace Medical School and University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Thrace, Greece. emantada@med.duth.gr
authors.forename: Elpis
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mantadakis
authors.forename: Theodosios
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Birbilis
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Michailidis
authors.forename: Vasileios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Souftas
authors.forename: Athanassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatzimichael
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012307:Risk Factors; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology