Epidural and Subdural Infections Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: J Stephen Huff, MD; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: May 2, 2011
 
 

Differential Diagnoses

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

J Stephen Huff, MD  Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine and Neurology, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center

J Stephen Huff, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Neurology, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Mark S Slabinski, MD, FACEP, FAAEM  Vice President, EMP Medical Group

Mark S Slabinski, MD, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, and Ohio State Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Barry J Sheridan, DO  Chief, Department of Emergency Medical Services, Brooke Army Medical Center

Barry J Sheridan, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD 

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References

  1. Tunkel AR. Subdural empyema, epidural abscess, and suppurative intracranial thrombophlebitis. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease. Vol 1. Elsevier Churchill Livingstone Inc; 2005:1164-1171.

  2. Hooten WM, Kinney MO, Huntoon MA. Epidural abscess and meningitis after epidural corticosteroid injection. Mayo Clin Proc. May 2004;79(5):682-6. [Medline].

  3. Darouiche RO. Spinal epidural abscess. N Engl J Med. Nov 9 2006;355(19):2012-20. [Medline].

  4. Bluman EM, Palumbo MA, Lucas PR. Spinal epidural abscess in adults. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. May-Jun 2004;12(3):155-63. [Medline].

  5. Ptaszynski AE, Hooten WM, Huntoon MA. The incidence of spontaneous epidural abscess in Olmsted County from 1990 through 2000: a rare cause of spinal pain. Pain Med. May-Jun 2007;8(4):338-43. [Medline].

  6. Osman Farah J, Kandasamy J, May P, Buxton N, Mallucci C. Subdural empyema secondary to sinus infection in children. Childs Nerv Syst. Feb 2009;25(2):199-205. [Medline].

  7. Mehta SH, Shih R. Cervical epidural abscess associated with massively elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. J Emerg Med. Jan 2004;26(1):107-9. [Medline].

  8. Lefebvre L, Metellus P, Dufour H, Bruder N. Linezolid for treatment of subdural empyema due to Streptococcus: case reports. Surg Neurol. Jan 2009;71(1):89-91; discussion 91. [Medline].

  9. Davis DP, Wold RM, Patel RJ, et al. The clinical presentation and impact of diagnostic delays on emergency department patients with spinal epidural abscess. J Emerg Med. Apr 2004;26(3):285-91. [Medline].

  10. Grewal S, Hocking G, Wildsmith JA. Epidural abscesses. Br J Anaesth. Mar 2006;96(3):292-302. [Medline].

  11. Joshi SM, Hatfield RH, Martin J, Taylor W. Spinal epidural abscess: a diagnostic challenge. Br J Neurosurg. Apr 2003;17(2):160-3. [Medline].

  12. Marsh EB, Chow GV, Gong GX, Rastegar DA, Antonarakis ES. A cut above. Am J Med. Dec 2007;120(12):1031-3. [Medline].

  13. Reihsaus E, Waldbaur H, Seeling W. Spinal epidural abscess: a meta-analysis of 915 patients. Neurosurg Rev. Dec 2000;23(4):175-204; discussion 205. [Medline].

  14. Rigamonti D, Liem L, Sampath P, et al. Spinal epidural abscess: contemporary trends in etiology, evaluation, and management. Surg Neurol. Aug 1999;52(2):189-96; discussion 197. [Medline].

  15. Sendi P, Bregenzer T, Zimmerli W. Spinal epidural abscess in clinical practice. QJM. Jan 2008;101(1):1-12. [Medline].

  16. Siddiq F, Chowfin A, Tight R, Sahmoun AE, Smego RA Jr. Medical vs surgical management of spinal epidural abscess. Arch Intern Med. Dec 13-27 2004;164(22):2409-12. [Medline].

  17. Soehle M, Wallenfang T. Spinal epidural abscesses: clinical manifestations, prognostic factors, and outcomes. Neurosurgery. Jul 2002;51(1):79-85; discussion 86-7. [Medline].

  18. Trombly R, Guest JD. Acute central cord syndrome arising from a cervical epidural abscess: case report. Neurosurgery. Aug 2007;61(2):E424-5; discussion E425. [Medline].

 
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Spinal epidural abscess with cord edema and compression. Abscess extends into paravertebral tissues.
 
 
 
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