Aguilar Mora Harvey Misael, Soto Barraza Julio Cesar
Neurosurgery, Hospital Juárez de México, Mexico City, MEX.
Cureus. 2024 Jan 12;16(1):e52189. doi: 10.7759/cureus.52189. eCollection 2024 Jan.
A spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare infection characterized by pus formation in the spinal epidural space, associated with various degrees of motor, sensory, or combined deficits. It is linked to several risk factors and predominantly impacts middle-aged men. This report discusses an atypical case of a patient without any predisposing factors who developed a cervicothoracic SEA associated with significant transverse myelitis. A targeted literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, and SpringerLink, employing terms such as "spinal epidural abscess, subdural empyema, and transverse myelitis." While there are numerous studies on this topic with a multidisciplinary approach, reports of cryptogenic SEA associated with the extensive involvement of cervical and thoracic spinal segments are rare. SEA is a very uncommon condition. Hence, a comprehensive understanding of its clinical presentation is crucial for adopting an appropriate diagnostic approach and delivering timely treatment.
脊髓硬膜外脓肿(SEA)是一种罕见的感染性疾病,其特征为脊髓硬膜外间隙形成脓液,并伴有不同程度的运动、感觉或混合性功能障碍。它与多种危险因素相关,主要影响中年男性。本报告讨论了一例非典型病例,该患者无任何易感因素,却发生了伴有严重横贯性脊髓炎的颈胸段SEA。我们在PubMed、Scopus和SpringerLink上进行了针对性文献检索,使用了“脊髓硬膜外脓肿、硬脑膜下积脓和横贯性脊髓炎”等检索词。虽然关于该主题有许多采用多学科方法的研究,但与颈胸段脊髓广泛受累相关的隐源性SEA报告却很少见。SEA是一种非常罕见的病症。因此,全面了解其临床表现对于采取适当的诊断方法和及时治疗至关重要。