Pan-regional (cervico-thoraco-lumbo-sacral) spinal epidural abscess with multi-level discitis, vertebral body osteomyelitis and facet joint septic arthritis: complete resolution with non-operative management

• Main Authors: Appukutty Manickam, MRCS, Laurence A.G. Marshman, MD, FRACS, Ipeson P. Korah, MBBS, DMRD
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014-12-01
• Series: Interdisciplinary Neurosurgery
• Subjects: Total spinal; Epidural; Abscess
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221475191400022X

Background and importance: Pan-regional (i.e. cervico-thoraco-lumbo-sacral [CTLS]) spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is rare: only 7 cases have been reported to date. Clinical presentation: A 68 year old male, without immunosuppression, presented with severe thoracic back pain and fulminant septicaemia. CT and MRI revealed a Pan-regional CTLS SEA associated with multi-level discitis, vertebral body osteomyelitis and facet joint septic arthritis. Blood cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus sensitive to flucloxacillin and rifampicin. Given the extent of suppuration, the lack of a clinical spinal ‘level’, as well as haemodynamic instability, neurosurgical management was conservative: with intravenous flucloxacillin and rifampicin. Over several weeks, his condition slowly improved: but at no point was any spinal ‘level’ apparent neurologically. He eventually made a complete clinical and radiological recovery without any operation which was maintained at one year review. Conclusion: Even pan-regional CTLS SEA with multi-level discitis, vertebral body osteomyelitis and facet joint septic arthritis can be managed non-operatively. A complete clinical and radiological resolution can be achieved with antibiotics alone.