Epidural abscess related to Streptococcus mitis in a 57-year-old immunocompetent patient. Issue 4 (9th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prod'homme, Marc; Grasset, Didier; Chalaron, Marc; Boscherini, Duccio
• Is Part Of: BMJ case reports. Volume 14:Issue 4(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04-09
• Subjects: infections -- orthopaedics; Medicine -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2020-239295
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1757-790X

Abstract

Abstract : A 57-year-old immunocompetent male patient presented himself to our emergency department with lumbar pain for 10 days, after a lumbar torsion. He was neurologically intact, but showed signs of systemic inflammatory syndrome. A lumbar MRI found a spinal epidural abscess from L3-L4 to L5-S1 levels. The patient was operated early before occurrence of neurological deficit. The abscess cultures found a Streptococcus mitis infection. The patient made a good recovery after surgical decompression, washout with samples taken for cultures and targeted antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks.