We report a patient with a chronic intramedullary spinal cord abscess who suffered an episode of acute meningitis due to rupture of the abscess into the subarachnoid space.Intramedullary spinal cord abscesses are rare; to date only about 65 cases have been described.' We report a case of intramedullary thoracic spinal cord abscess. To our knowledge this is the first case in which an episode of acute meningitis may be associated with the rupture of an intramedullary abscess into the subarachnoid space.tromyography disclosed signs of a mild peripheral polyneuropathy with decreased nerve conduction speed (motor, sensitive, and mixed) as well as signs of moderate muscle denervation in the legs.Neurological deficit progressed during hospitalisation. On the 10th hospital day neurological examination showed a complete loss of strength and sensation in both legs, a motor deficit in the lower spinal muscles, and a complete D 12 sensitive deficit (tactile, nociceptive, and proprioceptive). A spinal MRI disclosed no abnormalities. On the 20th hospital day he developed high fever, chills, cephalea, and neck stiffness. A lumbar puncture showed increased CSF pressure and a purulent CSF with leucocytes 5 0 x 109/l (95% poly-

No abstract