Spinal cord disorder due to spinal epidural abscess secondary to thoracic facet joint septic arthritis—a rare case with a surprising evolution

Silva, Teresa Plancha da; Silva, Marta Amaral; Boaventura, S; Martins, Mariana; Duro, Sérgio Teixeira; Carvalho, Fátima

doi:10.1038/s41394-020-00353-7

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Of the 3 patients with full neurologic recovery, 2 were treated with decompressive laminectomy and antibiotics, and the other was treated with antibiotics alone. Of the 5 patients with partial neurologic recovery, 4 were treated with decompressive laminectomy and antibiotics, and 1 received antibiotics alone [ 31 , 44 , 46 , 52 , 56 ]. The patient with persistent paraplegia received antibiotics alone [ 29 ], and the patient who died of septic shock received antibiotics and underwent decompressive laminectomy [ 35 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Septic Arthritis of the Spinal Facet Joint: Review of 117 Cases

Ross,

Ard

2024

Open Forum Infectious Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Septic arthritis of the spinal facet joints is increasingly recognized in the era of magnetic resonance imaging, but its epidemiology, clinical features, management, and prognosis are ill-defined. Methods We review 101 previously published cases, and report 16 cases occurring at our institutions between 2006 and 2018. Results Most patients presented with fever (60%) and back or neck pain (86%). Radiation into the hip, buttock, or limb was present in 34%. The lumbosacral vertebral segments were involved in 78% of cases. Most cases (64%) were due to Staphylococcus aureus. Bacteremia was present in 66%, and paraspinal muscle abscesses in 54%. While epidural abscesses were present in 56%, neurological complications were seen in only 9%, likely because most abscesses arose below the conus medullaris. Neurologic complications were more common with cervical or thoracic involvement than lumbosacral (32% vs 2%, p < 0.0001). Extraspinal infection, such as endocarditis, was identified in only 22% of cases. 98% of patients survived, with only 5% having neurologic sequelae. Conclusions Septic arthritis of the facet joint is a distinct clinical syndrome typically involving the lumbar spine, and frequently associated with bacteremia, posterior epidural abscesses, and paraspinal pyomyositis. Neurologic outcomes are usually good with medical management alone.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Septic Arthritis of the Spinal Facet Joint: Review of 117 Cases

Ross,

Ard

2024

Open Forum Infectious Diseases

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The supratrochlear lymph nodes will eventually drain into the axillary lymph nodes, which will then travel to the heart through the thoracic duct, and may subsequently access the Batson plexus. 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute Paraplegia Caused by Spinal Epidural Empyema Following Infectious Cellulitis of the Hand: Case Report and Literature Review

Nery,

Filho,

Nunes

et al. 2024

J Neurol Surg Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Spinal epidural abscess is a rare but serious condition that can cause spinal cord compression and neurological deficits. Case Description and Methods: The article reports a case of a 31-year-old patient who presented with an infectious cellulitis in the left hand, which progressed to a spinal epidural abscess. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment involved laminectomy, after which the patient had complete recovery of neurological deficits. This article is a case report with a literature review. Patient data and images were collected by the researchers who participated in the patient’s care. The literature was reviewed by one of the researchers based on the search for articles in the PubMed database. For the research, the following keywords were inserted: “Spinal epidural empyema”, “Spinal epidural abscess”. Conclusion: Spinal epidural abscess is often underdiagnosed, which can lead to delays in treatment and serious complications. The relationship between cellulitis and spinal epidural abscess may be related to the spread of infection through the lymphatic or blood system.

show abstract

Spinal cord disorder due to spinal epidural abscess secondary to thoracic facet joint septic arthritis—a rare case with a surprising evolution

Cited by 2 publications

References 12 publications

Septic Arthritis of the Spinal Facet Joint: Review of 117 Cases

Septic Arthritis of the Spinal Facet Joint: Review of 117 Cases

Acute Paraplegia Caused by Spinal Epidural Empyema Following Infectious Cellulitis of the Hand: Case Report and Literature Review

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About