Extended cervicolumbar spinal epidural abscess associated with paraparesis successfully decompressed using a minimally invasive technique.

STUDY DESIGN: A case of a multisegmental, cervicothoracolumbar epidural abscess, in an 80-year-old man, successfully decompressed by using a minimally invasive technique, is presented.

OBJECTIVE: To review risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, decompression techniques, and morbidity and mortality regarding spinal epidural abscess.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Extended spinal epidural abscess is a rate entity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a multilevel spinal epidural abscess, completely decompressed by limited laminectomies in combination with the use of a silicon catheter, epidurally.

METHODS: The clinical and radiographic features associated with spinal epidural abscess, as well as decompression technique, are presented. The 80-year-old man, with a one week history of urinary tract infection, presented with fever and low back pain, mild weakness in his legs and jaundice. He underwent bilateral limited laminectomies at T2-T3 and a right hemilaminectomy at L1-L2 and the pus was drained, under mild continuous suction, using a 2.7 mm outer and 1.3 mm inner diameter silicon catheter, inserted caudally and cranially into the epidural space, at both the laminectomy sites.

RESULTS: The patient experienced immediate relief of the low back pain, gradual fever subsidence and full neurological recovery during the next 3 weeks.

CONCLUSION: In cases of suspected acute epidural abscess, especially in elderly debilitating patients: the whole spine should be scanned by MRI to exclude the possibility of multilevel involvement and adequate pus drainage, when indicated, could be performed with the above described minimally invasive technique.