Pasteurella Multocida Paravertebral Abscess Following Cat Scratch in Revision Spine Surgery: A Case Report.

CASE: A 71-year-old man with a history of multiple revision lumbar spine surgeries following rod exchange with local and systemic infection symptoms including purulent drain output. Imaging demonstrated extensive submuscular fluid collection. Subsequent surgical debridement with deep cultures demonstrated Pasturella multocida; retrospectively, the patient recalled being scratched by his cat 1 week before presentation.

CONCLUSION

Pasturella multocida is a rare cause of paravertebral abscess following spinal surgery, but prevalent in cat flora. As domesticated animals are extremely common, clinicians and patients need to be aware of cat scratch as a potential source for postoperative infection through hematogenous seeding of the surgical site in the immediate postoperative period.