Spontaneous abscess of the lumbar spine presenting as subacute back pain.
A 52-year-old lady was admitted with back pain, fever and reduced sensation in her left leg. Soon after admission she developed acute urinary retention. She underwent urgent MRI of the spine which showed an epidural abscess compressing the thecal sac which was treated with neurosurgical decompression and intravenous/oral antibiotics. Cultures from theatre grew Staphylococcus aureus sensitive to flucloxacillin. After 12 weeks of intravenous/oral antibiotics, she was discharged without any neurological disability.
SHO (GP VTS1), Health Care of the Elderly, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK. jon.dickson@thejce.com
Jon M
JM
Dickson
Daniel J
DJ
Warren
Ann L N
AL
Chapman
Unni
U
Anoop
Haleema
H
Hayat
Debapriya
D
Bhattacharya
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005436:Floxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008875:Middle Aged; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005436:Floxacillin