TY - JOUR
T1 - Medical treatment of a spinal epidural abscess with neurologic deficits
AU - Chung, Tzu Tsao
AU - Hsieh, Cheng Ta
AU - Liu, Ming Ying
AU - Chang, Cheng Fu
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - In spite of advances in medical knowledge, imaging techniques, and surgical interventions, the diagnosis and treatment of spinal epidural abscess remains a challenge. The diagnosis is often elusive, but achieving diagnosis prior to the onset of neurological deficits is essential to preserving the vital neurological function. Traditionally, urgent surgical decompression and drainage remain the mainstay therapy for spinal epidural abscess. In recent years, with the improvement of antibiotics, conservative treatment with adequate antibiotics has been proposed as an effective method in selective patients. We report a case of spinal epidural abscess in a 50-year-old man, who complained of progressive weakness of lower extremities for 4 days before admission. After conservative treatment with antibiotics alone, the patient recovered uneventfully from previous neurological deficits. The relevant literature is also reviewed.
AB - In spite of advances in medical knowledge, imaging techniques, and surgical interventions, the diagnosis and treatment of spinal epidural abscess remains a challenge. The diagnosis is often elusive, but achieving diagnosis prior to the onset of neurological deficits is essential to preserving the vital neurological function. Traditionally, urgent surgical decompression and drainage remain the mainstay therapy for spinal epidural abscess. In recent years, with the improvement of antibiotics, conservative treatment with adequate antibiotics has been proposed as an effective method in selective patients. We report a case of spinal epidural abscess in a 50-year-old man, who complained of progressive weakness of lower extremities for 4 days before admission. After conservative treatment with antibiotics alone, the patient recovered uneventfully from previous neurological deficits. The relevant literature is also reviewed.
KW - Antibiotics
KW - Conservative treatment
KW - Spinal epidural abscess
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84874515080&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84874515080&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.6136/JMS.2013.33(1).037
DO - 10.6136/JMS.2013.33(1).037
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84874515080
SN - 1011-4564
VL - 33
SP - 37
EP - 40
JO - Journal of Medical Sciences (Taiwan)
JF - Journal of Medical Sciences (Taiwan)
IS - 1
ER -